Hide and Seek
by Shire.Conspire
Summary: So many layers, like earth itself. She was strong, but still human. She never tried to hide from love and friendship, they just never found her before. Not every story has a hero...but every hero has their story...
1. Chapter 1

Set some time after 'Bitter Work'. It's the days in between that we don't get to see. Made for no particular reason; written with no solid plot to pursue. I just thought it's be fun to explore the Toph Effect…you can't see it, but it's there…changing everyone and everything in one way or another…

Disclaimer: I'm not cool enough to have created Avatar and I'm not savvy enough to own.

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She sat on her own, as she tended to do. She wasn't as difficult as she had been before. She was starting to be a team worker, helping Katara every now and then, or being a little more patient with Aang, or keeping her laughter to a minimum when Sokka did something stupid.

She was getting better.

But now that the camp was set and Aang and Katara were practicing waterbending and Sokka was doing whatever Sokka did, she could be on her own and do what she did on her own.

From the breeze she could feel she knew it was getting late in the afternoon. Sundown would probably be in a few hours and it would get cold. She had found a nice warm boulder to sit on, one facing straight into the wind. It made her hair tickle against her skin.

She reached up and touched her face.

She did this only when she was alone; when no one could see. She let her fingers trace out the indent of her sightless eyes, the bridge of her nose, the bones in her cheek, her forehead, her jaw line, her lips. They felt as they had always felt: her own and hers alone. The same shapes, the same lines, the same textures. The same as all those times she'd touched her face before.

And, just like before, she couldn't conjure up any image for her mind. She didn't know what she looked like, she didn't know if she was pretty or ugly or decent or horrendous. She had been rich and pampered beyond belief, so that must have accounted for something, but it didn't tell her what she looked like.

And if she didn't even know what she looked like, she couldn't begin to imagine what her friends looked like.

All she had was her earthbending to tell her their outline and their voices to differentiate their personalities. She knew Aang was barely a foot taller than her and that he was too carefree to stay serious for long. She knew that Katara was petite but strong for her type; a powerful waterbender whose voice could be kind yet screechy at times. And she knew Sokka was the tallest, useless in most cases with words and tones that made him sound more like an airhead than not, but he came up with decent plans, had a good boomerang and was more than a head taller than her.

And that was it.

She didn't know what they looked like or how they dressed or when they were smiling or frowning, sad or happy. She never really used to care before, but she supposed she had never had any real friends before.

Footsteps were coming her way. She could feel them. She dropped her hands and tilted her head to the side, letting the vibrations fill her glazed eyes.

Heavy steps. It wasn't Aang. But still human. Not Appa or Momo. The steps were set wide apart. Not Katara.

It was Sokka.

"Toph? Toph are you up here?"

She leaned back on her hands and let her head fall back, like she was staring into the sky.

"Yeah, I'm here."

She, personally, liked her own voice. She thought it was commanding, powerful. A voice that tended to make people listen. A true earthbender's voice.

A minute or two later he approached her boulder, coming to stop right next to her. A wind picked up and blew into their faces.

"Are you busy right now?"

She blew at her bangs. "Why, do you need help moving something heavy?" She grinned when she heard him sigh.

"No. I just wanted to talk. Is that so strange?"

"Yes."

"Well, it shouldn't be. We are a team. And, I guess, friends."

"Katara and Aang are busy and Momo doesn't want to play with you."

"Hey, I'm not that desperate for company."

Toph felt him poke her in the shoulder and she scooted over, giving him room on the boulder's face. He sat down next to her and leaned back as well.

"I always kind of wanted to ask you about your earthbending," he said. Toph frowned.

"I thought you weren't that big into bending; you, with all your science and logic."

"I'm not. But sometimes, you know, I watch you guys bend these things and it's interesting. Sometimes I forget how powerful Aang is, or what my sister can do. And the fact that you're still so strong even though you're…um…."

"Blind," Toph finished for him. She had never thought it to be a touchy subject and she didn't like it when people acted like it was.

"Yeah. Blind. I have to admit, I get curious." He shifted. "Aren't you sometimes scared that this magic won't work when you want it to and you'll end up--,"

"It's not magic," she interrupted. "Bending is something completely different. I can't just wave my arms like this and expect rocks to move. Being a bender is a completely different feeling. The earth becomes a part of me, like an extension to my limbs. I have to move it like I move my arms or my feet. When I throw a punch I have to have strength in my arms to make that punch effective. When I throw a rock I have to have that same kind of strength in my arm. I can't flick my finger and do the same damage."

Sokka was silent, listening to her explanation. When she was finished he laid down and folded his hands behind his head. "Has it always been like that?"

"As long as I can remember."

"But you're just a kid."

"Hey, so are you."

"What I meant was you're young and you're already a bending master. How did you learn everything and perfect it so quickly?"

The wind blew again, almost pulling Toph's hair down from her headband.

"I'm blind, remember? I didn't have a choice." She paused. "It was my only way to see."

Another silence followed.

"Do you ever just practice?"

"Sometimes."

Another silence.

"Could I watch you?"

Toph turned towards him, her peridot eyes staring at a spot three feet from his face. "You want to watch me bend?"

Sokka started to nod, remembered it was Toph he was talking to and said 'yes' out loud.

She gave him a face but hopped down from the boulder anyway.

"You're weird," she told him, falling into her stance and already feeling the earth surrounding her tune into her body. "But I guess that's okay." She dug deep into her muscles, found the strength she needed, stomped her heel into the solid ground and brought up a chunk of earth. "I can be a little weird too." She slammed her open palm into the side of the rock, sending it flying across the air.

-----------------------------

She held her arm up in front of her face, her fingers curled into a fist and her head turned away as the rock shattered against her forearm, bits of dirt flying everywhere. When the dust settled she lowered her hand.

"Not enough. I barely felt that,"

"I'm giving it all I've got! I can't make it any stronger!"

"You have to, Twinkletoes! Earth counts for nothing in a battle unless you use its power and strength to your full advantage."

"I'm trying."

"Try harder!"

Sitting on a ledge up and away from the training session Katara ate her lunch with her brother, Momo nibbling on an apple between them. They watched as Toph fell into her signature stance and began circling Aang, the earth around her shuddering as her bending began to take effect. Aang fell into his own stance and waited, his eyes focused on her. She stopped circling and planted herself in one spot. She was letting her earthbending guide her, waiting for Aang to make the first move and give himself away. But he was an airbender, and his vibrations were minute, so it was as much a training session for her as it was for him. It was a way to hone her own skills.

"Sometimes I forget how powerful they both are," Sokka said, eating the apple slice that his sister handed him. He leaned back on his hands and watched as Toph waited patiently for Aang's attack, who in turn was stalling for as long as he could. "I always forget about Aang because he goofs around all the time, but in the end he's still the Avatar. And Toph…."

Aang finally made his move and sent two boulders careening towards Toph. She didn't move until the last moment, pushing her right shoulder forward and slicing her arm down through the air, a blade of rock sprouting up through the ground at the motion. With a thrust from her other hand she sent the blade cutting through the earth towards Aang, moving too fast for him to avoid it. He cried out and punched his fist forward, using as much force as he could to break right through the rock. Fist contacted with earth and Toph's blade shattered. But it was too much for Aang. He shook out his hand, wincing at the contact.

His earthbending had gotten better, but he still wasn't good enough to block Toph's attacks.

"I forget sometimes too," Katara said, biting into a peach. "I've started getting used to having Toph around that I forget what a difference her presence makes. She's really--,"

"Young," Sokka finished. He nodded. "Yeah, I know."

"But she's stronger than all of us. I feel too old to be a master waterbender when I see her earthbend."

"She kind of reminds me of Suki," Sokka offered. "When she trains. I felt like a useless fighter when I saw the Kyoshi Warriors. They were my age, but they were a lot better."

"Everyone's better than you," Katara said, laughing. Her brother made a face at her before turning his attention back to Toph and Aang.

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"You have to stop lifting out of the ground," Toph said, reaching out a hand. Aang took it and let her hoist him to his feet as he dusted dirt off his clothes. "You have to stay grounded, literally. When you're learning earthbending with me you have to forget airbending completely. You won't get it if you don't."

"I know, and I'll try harder." He rubbed his shoulder, wincing silently. A deep bruise was already forming, one that would affect him lifting his arm. He'd have to remember to ask Katara if she'd heal it for him.

"Aang! Toph!"

Aang looked up towards the distant ledge and Toph tilted her head, listening for Sokka's voice. Aang could see the boy waving his arms at them and pointed over his shoulder.

"What does he want?" Toph asked. Aang grabbed her arm and started running for the cliff.

"I think dinner's ready. Sokka's only happy when dinner's ready." Toph tugged back her arm forcefully but kindly, digging her heels into the ground. Aang stopped and turned to her. "What are you doing?"

"I don't think I'll head up yet."

"Why not? Aren't you hungry?"

She shrugged. "Not really; not yet. I think I'll stay out here for a while."

"Why?"

"Because I want to."

"What are you going to do?"

She leaned into one hip. "I'm a big girl now, Mom. I promise I'll be very careful." She had on that lopsided grin of hers; the one that confused Aang, Katara and Sokka. The lopsided grin that was either Toph hiding something, knowing something or else just being sarcastic little Toph.

"Do you want me to stay--,"

"Goodbye!" She kicked the ball of her foot into the dirt and sent a tiny pebble flying up to conk Aang in the forehead. He whispered an 'ow' and rubbed his blue arrow, more annoyed than hurt by the tiny blow.

"Okay. If you want…"

"Just make sure Sokka and Momo leave something for me to eat."

Aang watched as she turned her back on him and faced the opposite horizon once more. He wanted to stay and see what she was going to do, but he knew that using her blindness to his advantage would be cruel, and he respected Toph too much to deceive her.

After a moment he turned towards camp and continued running.

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She could like Aang. She wasn't going to lie and say that it would never happen. She could like Sokka. She wasn't going to lie and say that she never thought about it.

Because hey, they were the first boys she had ever had close relations with.

But even Toph knew that Aang liked Katara more than just a friend. He had a crush on her that made his heart beat whenever she showed him some sort of favor. She could feel it, and it made sense.

And, from what Aang and Katara had told her, Sokka wasn't a stranger with girls.

Either situation didn't much affect Toph. If anything she was just grateful that they were there. She didn't know if she liked Aang and she didn't know if she liked Sokka. But they were there.

In a life where people were so scarce, their being was enough for her.

Although she'd never admit it.

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She got along with Sokka well, she had to admit. When they joked it was all in good fun, and if she teased him he never took it too personally, just as she never intended her words to be too personal. She had clashed too hard with Katara and Aang in the beginning.

She liked his passion to fight, even if he wasn't that great at it. And she thought his constant negativity was funny, even if it caused him a clumsy misery. Where Aang was usually paired with Katara in situations, Toph would pair with Sokka.

They just got along better.

Not that she couldn't stand the other two.

"Hey Katara," Toph said when she finally joined the group at the campfire. She dropped down on the ground near the flames and leaned back against a wood log.

"Finally. It's been a while since Aang came back." Katara walked over and handed Toph a bowl of stew. From what she could glean from her earthbending Aang was already finished eating and was just relaxing near Appa, and Sokka was stoking the fire. The smell coming from the bowl was delectable.

Toph was starving.

"Thanks, Sugar Queen. Smells good."

"I try."

Sugar Queen. It had transformed from an insult to an endearment. Katara's nickname. And only Toph could use it. Sokka had tried once. He ended up drifting freely down river.

"So, what did you do out there all this time?" Katara asked, settling down next to Toph. There was a swishing noise when she sat. She had waited for Toph to eat her own dinner.

"Just training."

She laughed good-naturedly. "What can't you do with earth already?"

"I can't bend sand."

They both took a sip of their stew. It was as delicious as it smelled. "You were bending sand?"

"Trying to bend sand, or dirt, or any type of earth that is ground too fine." She wondered if she should say her next words, and then decided it was all right to admit it out loud. "It's hard."

"But you can bend anything," Sokka said off-handedly. It made Toph want to smile, but she didn't.

"Sand and fine dirt is hard for me to sense. Vibrations don't travel well through sand, so I can't see it very well. It's hard to bend something I can't find."

"When did you start trying?" Aang asked, his voice closer now. He must have left Appa, but with his light steps she barely even noticed.

"I started a while back. A little before I met any of you. It takes a lot of concentration, but I'm getting better."

"You didn't try when I was watching you."

Katara set down her bowl. "You watch her train?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"You never take an interest in Aang or my bending."

"Because when I'm around Aang I get blown thirty feet into the air and when I'm around you I get soaked. When I'm with Toph she doesn't always throw giants boulders at me, so I feel safer around her."

"Oh, well, if you were _expecting_ me to throw boulders I wouldn't want to disappoint you…"

"No, no! I just said that no boulders is a good thing!"

Aang, Katara and Toph laughed. It felt good to laugh with friends.

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Night.

Everyone was sleeping in a cave they had found. Outside it was raining. In the cover of night and rain Toph became truthful to even herself.

She stood in the rain, feeling every minute vibration of the raindrops as they shattered into the ground around her. She felt each one as it touched her skin and soaked her clothes, brushed along her cheeks and weighed down her hair.

In the cover of the rain she didn't even care if any of them saw her.

In the cover of the rain they wouldn't be able to tell that she was crying.

Crying for no particular reason.

She rarely cried. The lone tear she had shed at her home was the most she had shown anyone. When she was angry or sad or frustrated she held back her tears. It was on these rare times, when she could hide it well, that she let all those times finally explode and she would cry.

In the rain she touched her face. It felt the same as always.

When she was finished she composed herself once more, pulling down the demeanor that was undeniably Toph. It wasn't a cover and it wasn't a façade. Her tough act wasn't an act at all, but who she really was.

Just, sometimes, even a rock can break.


	2. Chapter 2

They were somewhere else now.

Somewhere in a forest, with lush green grass and a calm river.

It was sunny and they were all swimming: Aang, Katara, Sokka, even Momo and Appa. All of them having fun in the water.

Except Toph.

She stayed on a rock, lounging on her stomach and splashing in the river with her hand.

Aang called her in but she refused. Katara splashed her and she laughed before splashing back. Momo landed next to her and shook the water from his fur, sprinkling her face.

Something bumped into her hand.

Something soft, like hair. Not Aang. Short. Not Katara.

It was Sokka, floating on by. Toph pulled her hand back.

"We could teach you how to swim, you know," he said. Toph shook her head.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I prefer land, if you haven't noticed."

"I have." He said it off-handedly. "But it could be useful. Katara and Aang do a lot of waterbending, so we'll be around water a lot."

Toph sighed and pushed herself to her feet. "Well hoo-haw. I'm fine not knowing." She started to turn to walk away but Sokka called up to her again.

"Wait, wait. Help me up there. I want to get the firewood before it gets too late. Besides, they've started their waterbending and I don't feel like drowning today." She heard him slap the surface of the rock she stood on. "Hand?"

She leaned over and held out her hand. He took it, his grip firm, and she hoisted him up on the boulder. His hand was callused and rough, telling of the times he wielded a machete, a boomerang, a spear. But they weren't hard enough, forsaking his lack of training despite his boundless passion.

That was her, a long time ago. Lacking in training despite her boundless passion. But she had taught herself where no one else would teach her. Sokka could have done the same.

He sprinkled her with water as he stumbled onto the boulder. "Want to help me with the wood?"

"Not really, but I've got nothing else to do."

"Oh, well, thank you," he said sarcastically and trudged past her. She could go on with her own training, but she didn't feel like fighting with sand at the moment.

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"Come on!"

"No."

"Toph, it's okay--,"

"I said _no!_"

"I'll help you across!"

"You? Help me?! That just guarantees me falling in the water!"

"Come one, I'm not that clumsy--,"

"Oh, yes you are. You got stuck in a crack the other day, remember?"

They were supposed to be gathering firewood. Actually, Sokka was supposed to be gathering firewood and Toph was just going along with him because she was bored. They weren't supposed to be crossing the river so he could get the oranges growing from a tree on the opposite bank.

"Toph…"

"I won't go anywhere! I'll just wait here for you to get back."

"But I can't carry the firewood and the oranges by myself!"

"Didn't you buy a pretty little purse just for such an occasion?"

"I left it at the campsite."

"Of course you did." She crossed her arms and leaned into one hip. She wasn't going to cross, even if the tree trunk was sturdy. She wasn't going to pass over water. She could hear the currents and they were far too strong for her liking. "Just get back over here and leave the firewood with me then."

"…"

"Sokka?"

"…"

"Sokka?"

"…"

"Sokka!"

"All right! I'm scared, okay? The forest is denser here and the tree is too far away from the river. I don't want to go in there alone."

She started laughing. Hard. Her stomach hurt from laughing so much and she was close to tears. But it wasn't a ridiculing, cruel guffaw; it was her childlike, little girl laughter. The one that Katara had once said sounded refreshing to hear. 

"You act so much older than you really are that it's good to here you being a kid again."

Toph had raised an eyebrow at the comment. "So says the Sugar Queen who carries all the world's responsibilities on her shoulders. You act way older than what you really are."

"I do not!"

"Yes, you do."

Katara had stopped talking at that point.

But now, as she swiped at her watering eyes, Toph did feel like the little girl that she was.

"Okay, you can stop making fun of me now..."

"Are you really scared? Please tell me you're joking."

"Hey, it's really dark in there and there could be platypus bears."

"Are you serious?"

"It's a forest and we're near water. This is ideal platypus bear dwelling ground--,"

"No, I mean are you seriously that scared that you need me to come with you?"

"…"

"Sokka."

"Yeah. I wouldn't mind the company."

"Or the earthbending."

"Or that too."

She sighed. Did she have a soft spot for Sokka? Maybe.

Or maybe it just felt nice to be needed.

"Okay. Fine. But I don't like--,"

Hollow footsteps pounded on the tree trunk and soon Sokka was back on her side of the river,.

"Come on!" He grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the edge of the bank.

"Wait, no! Not so fast!" She tried to pull back but her fear was making her weak where Sokka's enthusiasm was making him strong. She was getting closer to the tree bridge, the sound of the river growing louder. "Sokka!"

"Just run; it'll be over sooner if you do." 

"I'll slip!"

"I won't let you slip! Now…run!"

He tugged, she grabbed onto his tunic with her other hand, and together they ran across the river, one laughing the other screaming, both making more noise than what was absolutely necessary.

In no time Toph felt her feet reconnect to earth and the adrenaline that had rushed through her body dropped completely away. They came to a stop and Toph let go of his tunic, grabbing at her pounding chest. Sokka let her hand go and stood in front of her, rocking back on his heels. He was still laughing.

"That wasn't so bad, was it? We made it across, you're still alive and no one got hurt."

Toph slammed her right foot into the ground, pushed a mound of earth up in front of her and sent Sokka flying fifteen feet into the air.

This time she was laughing again and he was screaming.

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"I'll climb up there and get some more."

"Whatever makes you happy, warrior boy."

Sokka dropped a few more oranges into Toph's lap before she heard the rustle of leaves and branches as he climbed upward. She leaned back and rested her head against the trunk, cradling the fruits in her lap as she relaxed.

She knew Sokka liked meat, but who knew he was so enthusiastic with oranges? Maybe it was just food in general with him.

"Wow, this forest is huge! You can see for miles in each direction and there's nothing but trees!"

"Really now?" Toph called up sarcastically. Sokka didn't notice her heavy words.

"Yeah! It's amazing. And look, over there! There's almost an entire grove of cherry blossom trees, like a wave of pink! We don't get those back home."

"Sounds epic," she muttered to herself.

Because even though she joked, sometimes she did want to see. Especially when idiots like Sokka made such a big deal about it.

A long pause followed before Toph felt Sokka drop back down to earth and walk towards her. He dropped a good armful of oranges into her lap.

"You were born blind, weren't you?"

He took a seat right in front of her, his tone suddenly serious.

"Yeah."

"So you have no idea what I mean when I say 'blue' or 'red' or 'green'?"

"Nope."

"You don't know that the sky is blue, or that blood is red, or that grass is green." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. One laden with a lot of pity, a lot of sympathy and a lot of sadness. But Toph didn't care. She hated all those things, especially when they involved her blindness. Even from a friend she hated them.

"And you have no idea what I mean when I say 'lark' or 'ants' or 'blossom'?" She felt him shift on the ground.

"No." He sounded confused.

"You don't know that a lark has been singing the entire time we've been here, or that there's a trail of ants marching in a curved line a few feet behind you, or that the blossoms in that cherry blossom grove are starting to fall, each one hitting the ground with a soft vibration." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Silence grew between them. Toph could only guess what he was thinking. She didn't know that he was now just noticing the lark, or that he was squinting and trying to see the ants. She didn't know that he wanted to run to the grove and check to see if the blossoms really were falling. He couldn't tell when he was up in the orange tree.

"Don't ever feel sorry for me," she told him. "I'm missing out on nothing."

He nodded, even though he knew she couldn't see.

She really wasn't missing out on anything.

But maybe he was.


	3. Chapter 3

She was small. Very small. Too small for her age. Half the size of Sokka; just barely reaching Katara's shoulder; hardly grazing Aang's chin. Blind and small and tiny and fragile, that was how her own father described her. She didn't know why she was so petite. It wasn't like it was her fault.

It did help, in some situations at least. She could slip through crowds or sneak up on people. She was a hard target to hit. Not enough mass to aim for, and she was still strong.

But strength helped nothing when something was flying through the air. If she couldn't feel it fly it could easily knock her over. Or those times when Aang was floating around. She couldn't sense him, and sometimes he would take her by surprise, knocking her over. Or she'd get jostled in crowds, when there were too many people and too many vibrations that her 'vision' would get blurred. She hated those times, bumping into people and getting pushed around.

The rare times when she really did feel small.

Every other time her height was perfectly fine.

"Hey Katara."

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to go wash up in the river."

Katara stopped setting up the tent and smiled. Toph always told Katara when she was going around water. If she got into any trouble there wasn't much she could do without touching the water's bottom, and she trusted Aang's waterbending as much as she trusted his earthbending.

"You? Wash? In water?!" The waterbender laughed. Toph sneered.

"Hey, I'm the one who was born into nobility. I'm inherently clean and composed, tribal girl."

Katara put her hands on her hips and smiled, although Toph couldn't see the smile.

"Whatever you say, Lady Bei Fong. And don't worry, I'll be near if you need anything, so just call me."

"As it should be, peasant!" Toph turned up her nose and stomped stiffly off, encouraged by Katara's giggles.

See…she got along well with Katara. She was probably the only other girl Toph had ever really like, or respected. She was more sweetness than Toph could take sometimes, but she had once had the unfortunate luck to be whacked with that horrifying water whip.

Toph envied no enemy of Katara's.

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She curled her hands into fists and slammed them into the bank, flesh meeting earth. In the river water in front of her a semi-circle wall of earth rose up, separating a small section of water away from the rest of the river. It blocked off where the water got too deep. Toph's very own little bath.

She reached up and yanked the headband from her hair, letting the annoying strands fall freely down to her waist. It was a nuisance, all that hair, but he parents had never wanted to cut it.

They were afraid to let sharp objects anywhere near her.

She flicked the strands over her shoulder and stripped down to her shift, laying out her clothes carefully on a boulder away from the river. She didn't want them to get wet.

Tentatively and fully alert, Toph waded into her makeshift bath, the water reaching no higher than mid-thigh. She wiggled her toes and felt the earth beneath her feet, beneath the water. She let it reassure her, as she was ought to do, and bent over to wash her ridiculous mane of hair.

It wasn't at all as manageable as Katara's felt.

---------------------------------

"Avatar! A little help over here."

Aang swung his arm in a circle and sent a gust of wind towards Toph, cascading over her and drying her in seconds. When the gust subsided she shivered, tugging at the strap of her shift before climbing her way back into her clothes.

"Why were you wet?" Aang asked. Toph slipped into her tunic and clasped it under her right shoulder, her hair falling in front of her face and getting in the way. She swatted at it.

"I was in the river."

"You? In the river?! I thought you hated water."

"I do." She slipped on her wristbands and ankle braces, tugging at the hem of her loose breeches. "But that doesn't mean I won't take a bath. I'm not _that_ afraid of it."

"Yeah, you are," Sokka teased, setting up the fire somewhere to her left. "But hey, that's okay! Everyone's entitled to their weakness."

"Be quiet," she commanded, skidding her heel into the ground. The delicate pile of wood Sokka had made collapsed into an unusable heap. "I wouldn't be talking if I were you," she said darkly. Sokka grumbled under his breath and tried to repair his woodpile.

"What does that mean?" Aang asked.

"Nothing," Sokka said. Toph smirked and started wrestling with her thick hair. "Why do you always put your hair up in that headband?"

"Why do you care?"

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "Is it just me or am I constantly persecuted for asking a simple question? I was just wondering."

"It's too long," she said, managing to gather the unruly strands in her hands. "It gets in the way of my arms when I'm trying to bend."

"Why did you keep it so long then? Why don't you just cut it?"

"My parents would never let anything sharp near their defenseless, little girl," she mocked, pouting out her lip in faux helplessness. Somewhere off Aang laughed coolly. Katara walked towards her.

"Do you like keeping your hair up like that? Because it looks like you're having a little trouble…"

"I hate doing this every time," Toph complained, still struggling. "This stupid mane never cooperates with me and putting it up all the time gives me a headache."

"Then would you mind a little girlish help? I'd be happy to offer a hand."

Toph let her sheet of hair fall freely down once more, the ends swishing downward past her belt. "You're not going to make me look like you, are you?...whatever it is that you look like?"

Somewhere off Sokka laughed under his breath.

"I promise."

Toph clicked her teeth thoughtfully. "All right. Have at thee." She shook her midnight tresses and sighed as Katara set to work.

-------------------------

"How does that feel?"

Toph wiggled her head, unused to the weight. "It's…different, that's for sure." She reached up to the nape of her neck.

Katara smiled and stepped back, admiring her work. For someone as tough as Toph, it was a surprise to know that her hair was so long and feminine. It reached far below her waistline in a raven mass, thick and shining and highlighted from her times in the sun. It was a wonder how her tiny frame was able to hold up her massive bun.

She had opted to keep the weight near Toph's neck, braiding it into one long length and tucking it under, leaving only a light loop of a braid hanging down her back. Short enough to stay out of her way, heavy enough not to whip into her face, placed properly so that it didn't weigh her down.

Toph titled her head side to side. It felt very different. But it felt better.

"Do you like it?"

Toph nodded, almost surprised with herself. "Yeah, I do." She still had her headband, which she had become accustomed to, and she still had her fringe of bangs over her face, as she had grown fond of. It was just better. "I—I don't look like you, do I?"

"Not exactly," Sokka commented, coming to stand next to his sister. "She has Gran Gran's loopy hair things, and her braid kind of hangs down her back."

Toph frowned. "What are loopy hair things?"

"Don't listen to him," Katara interrupted, pushing the side of her brother's head. "You look like yourself."

"So you didn't give me loopy hair things?"

Aang joined them, hopping down from Appa's back. "No. Only Katara has loopy hair things."

Toph sighed past her laugh. Did no one else hear the airy way he said her name?

"It looks good," Sokka said, pacing around and inspecting her carefully. "You look more like a girl."

Toph crossed her arms. "Are you saying that I didn't look like a girl before?"

"No, I just meant that now…I mean, with more of your hair down—er…I--…is anybody hungry?" He suddenly wandered off, ambling his way towards his finally growing fire.

"Very articulate," Katara called to her brother. He grumbled in response. "You look very pretty, Toph. Although I don't know why you insist on wearing your hair in front of your face like that. No one can see you that way."

"There; then it's even."

"What I mean is no one can see your face. You shouldn't hide it. Don't you think so, Aang?"

"Uh..er…um—what?" Aang was rubbing his neck nervously.

"Don't you think Toph is pretty?" Katara asked, painfully and obviously cornering him. Toph couldn't help but smile. When Katara wanted to be evil she was very good at it. Besides, waiting for the Avatar's answer was fun. He was still a helpless boy after all.

"I…well, of course she is…but…I guess. I mean, not that it matters to me but--,"

"How about this, Aang: Do you think Katara is pretty?"

Katara giggled. Toph smirked. Aang was most definitely sweating under the pressure.

"Of course I think she's…! I mean, I always thought Katara was…is!...um, I'm going to feed Momo." And with a whoosh of air he was gone, flying off in a coward's retreat. Katara and Toph laughed together.

"I have to say, it's much better having another girl around."

Toph sighed. "Whatever, sweetness. I'm going to eat breakfast." Toph walked over towards the fire, her braid bouncing slightly off her back. But it wasn't annoying.

Katara followed, standing a little ways away as Toph settled on a log across from where Sokka was cutting into an orange. She held out her hand towards him and he automatically tossed one of the fruits into her waiting palm.

"You look good," he said to her, speaking normally this time, like he did when they went across the river. Toph shrugged, leaning back.

"Thanks," she said, and kept it at that.

---------------------------

Toph slammed Aang into the base of a pine, the impact shaking the branches and sending pine cones and needles sprinkling around them. Aang winced out loud, although more out of surprise than pain. He had been able to barely prepare for the attack, but it was enough to at least lessen the damage.

"Now, how did I do that?' Toph asked him, her hand gripping his collar. Aang coughed.

"By being really fast and weirdly strong."

"You're fast too, Twinkletoes."

"But I bend the air to be fast."

"And I'm not an Airbender, so how did I do that?"

"I don't know."

Toph released him and he pulled himself off the tree bark. She didn't move back though, and her head was titled upward, speaking right into his face.

"I placed a layering of earth on the soles of my feet and used that so I could speed over the ground. It's a relative to your running using a blast of air, but this packs more of a punch since the earth waves offer more of a push." She punched him in the shoulder to emphasize her words. This time Aang winced more out of pain than anything else.

Toph's punches hurt.

"Are you going to teach me how to do that?" he asked, the blow hardly enough to curb his excitement at the move. But she shook her head.

"This exercise isn't to teach you a new move yet; that one is far too advanced for you, even now. What I am going to teach you is to hold yourself against physical attacks where earth is used as a factor and not the primary weapon." She took a step back and slid her feet apart, falling into a deep stance. "Like everything I've taught you this requires you to wait and listen. But this time I want you to look for the earthen aid rather than the earthen attack. Like every opponent who wields a weapon, the first thing you have to do is take that weapon away. Take away the earthen aid will help weaken the primary blow."

"Er…okay." Aang rubbed the arrow on his head, trying to remember everything Toph had told him. Earthbending was still so difficult for him, and every concept she had taught him was the opposite of his habits as an Airbender. "I think I understand."

"Good." She snapped her fingers at him and he immediately mimicked her stance. "I taught you how to call up the earth to use for an attack, so now I'm going to show the move that pulls the earth back down, replacing it into the ground. Now, show me how you conjure the earth upward."

Aang took a slow, deep breath. He curled his fingers into fists and lifted his foot, smashing it back down to the ground, his right arm bent and tucked close to his side and his left arm held straight, his fist facing downward. A large boulder flew up before him, the earth replacing itself so as not to leave a large hole, as Toph had taught him to do automatically. It hovered in front of him as he waited for Toph's next instructions.

"Nicely done," she said. She extended her arms out to her sides, palms facing upward. She took her own slow, deep breath. "Now, watch this move carefully." She let a pause follow before she swung her arms up, circling them upward and then down through the center of her body, halting them roughly so that they stayed at her center, palms facing down. The boulder Aang had pulled out was suddenly sucked back downward, dissipating into the ground once more. It replaced itself flawlessly and swiftly, and she had pulled it out of his control with ease.

"How did you do that?" he asked, straightening out of his stance. Toph did the same, crossing her arms.

"That was pathetic. You let me take control without a struggle. You have to be firm with earth or else any opposing earthbender could beat you without breaking a sweat. Next time hold onto it." She tilted her head to the side, stretching out her neck. Her braid swished along her shoulder blades, foreign but not uncomfortable.

"Sorry—er, it won't happen again."

"Better not."

----------------------------

Aang tried to concentrate on his earthbending, but he found the task suddenly difficult. It had already been a struggle being around Katara only because it made him nervous and self-conscious about everything. He liked being around her though and, at the times when he found himself forgetting about being nervous, found that she was fast becoming his best friend.

But it had been a handful for him with one girl around.

Not it was fast becoming an armful.

Just because he wasn't in love with Toph didn't mean that he didn't think she was pretty. She was. She was small and petite and delicate, though he knew she would kill him if she ever heard him call her 'delicate'.

And now…

Toph had been more rough-and-tumble than he was, with sharper edges and a strong disposition. She wasn't so much another Katara as she was another stronger, more able, and prettier Sokka.

And now, with her hair down, she looked more like a girl than ever and less like a Sokka the more Aang looked at her. It had become distracting only because now it had become odd to see her earthbending. She wasn't The Blind Bandit earthbending anymore, but Toph Bei Fong, a rich heiress earthbending next to him.

It had become strange.

"Aang!"

"What? What?"

"Are you listening to me?"

"Yeah."

"And you're lying because…"

"Sorry. I guess I'm just a little distracted today."

She pulled herself out of her stance and flicked her bangs out of her face. "Why?" she asked. Aang shrugged.

"I don't know."

----------------------------

Toph and Aang were locked in a bitter battle, one that had lasted a majority of an hour. The teacher was still better than the student in many ways, but Aang was no ordinary student, and his bending was becoming better.

Aang ran towards Toph, bending low against the pressing wind to dig his fingers into the ground, pulling out a large boulder and scooping it through the air towards Toph. She, in response, sliced right through the rock. Her counterattack was forcing her elbow forward to send a shock wave through the earth to give an obstacle to Aang's head-on run. He jumped up and away from the rolling earth and landed down with an almighty quake, two solid pillars of stone manifesting themselves on either side. He pounded his heel one more time and slammed his open palms against the pillar sides. They cut through the ground, closing in on Toph.

In one very fast and very rapid reaction, Toph spun around, her foot tracing a circular line in the ground around her and her braid falling out of its loop at the force of the spin. She landed on one knee and finished the move with a swift cut of her left arm slicing through the air, gathering a strong wall around her, moments before the pillars made contact and shattered against her defense.

The dust settled and Toph let the wall fall away as she dusted the grim off her hands.

"Well done," she complimented civilly. Across from her Aang was panting, his hands on his knees as he gasped for breath. "Not bad at all. You're actually getting a lot better."

"I don't feel like I'm getting better," he complained. "After the first ten minutes I was already getting too tired to fight properly."

"Yeah, but you still lasted the entire half hour without stopping. Bending earth takes energy, so it's an accomplishment to go for so long. It's a step towards building stamina." Toph flipped her now too long braid back over her shoulder. "But I guess we can call it a day."

"Thank you, Sifu Toph," he responded politely, bowing to her. She accepted and returned the bow.

"Let's head back."

------------------------------

When they returned to the campsite Katara wanted to show Aang something she'd found, so Toph was left behind with Sokka around their fire. He was sharpening his machete while she fiddled with Momo. The sunlight was still warm on her skin but a creeping cold was making its way through the earth. It was probably late afternoon.

"Not that I'm completely enjoying this, but isn't there supposed to be more excitement on an adventure?" she asked. "For the last few days I've been nothing but bored."

"You ran across a bridge over water."

Toph sighed. "Oh, silly me, I forgot. I take it back. My life is so exciting."

Sokka offered her a sarcastic 'ha'. "Learn to enjoy it. Peace and quiet never lasts for our little gang. Before you know it we'll be losing sleep and fighting for our lives in no time."

She only grumbled in response. "I'm hungry. Pass me an orange, will you?" She pushed herself to her knees and reached towards him.

"Toph, be careful!" Sokka's hand shot out and he grabbed her braid, raising it up and out of the reach of the flames. "You could have caught on fire!"

"Sorry, I didn't know," she answered, completely unfazed. She wiggled her fingers, still waiting for her food. Sokka dropped an orange into her hand, still holding her hair away from the flames.

"Just watch it next time. You're hair is really long and you're really small. It could get caught in something."

"Yes, mom."

"I'm serious."

"And grumpy."

"Toph!"

"Okay, okay!" She dropped the orange into her lap and took hold of her braid, winding it around and around at the nape of her neck until it was caught in a tight, braided bun. "There, happy?"

"Yeah, and relieved."

She dropped back down and stretched her legs out in front of her. "You're going to make your life miserable with all your bad moods, did anyone ever tell you that?"

"If it weren't for my bad moods you'd be running around on fire right now."

"You're being dramatic--,"

"I'm being a realist--,"

"You're being annoying--,"

"I'm being concerned--,"

"You're acting like my father--,"

"I'm acting like a friend!" He dropped his sharpening stone, his machete forgotten in his hands. "Look, Toph, I understand that you can be very independent. I know that you're not helpless and you can take care of yourself. You've made that painfully apparent. But it is okay if I worry about you and offer you a set of eyes, even if you don't need them."

"That's just it: you don't have to worry about me."

"I worry about everything! Haven't you been paying attention these last few days? Everything frightens me; I'm paranoid! But sometimes that paranoia comes in handy."

Toph blew at her bangs. "You don't worry about Aang or Katara."

Sokka was incredulous. "I'm _always_ worried about Aang and especially my sister. Aang may be the Avatar, but he's way too trusting to ever suspect anyone is evil. He'd have made friends with Zuko even while that royal brat was trying to kill him! And if I could tie Katara up and stick her in some safe cave somewhere where she'd be safe then I would, but she can do magic so I've opted to try and not come to a physical fight with her. As for you I get very nervous when something big comes around because it could squish you. I could squish you. Momo could squish you! And even though you have that creepy, echo-location thing going on that still doesn't change the fact that you could one day be squished. I couldn't deal with it if that happened!" He lumped against the log, vocally drained and frustrated. "I _hate_ seeing girls get hurt."

Toph wanted to fight back but there was something in his voice that made her stop. Something in the last sentence he said, something in his words, that made her understand that he'd actually dealt with a girl getting hurt, or dying, and that he had never really gotten over it.


	4. Chapter 4

They were flying again.

And, even though she had to admit that she liked Appa, Toph still hated flying. It was one of the rare times that she really felt blind.

It was night. The wind was bitter cold and, no matter how high they seemed to rise, it didn't get any warmer. From the silence of the journey Toph guessed, with a smile, that Katara was asleep. And, from the occasional loud snore, she also guessed that so was Sokka.

"Not tired?"

It was Aang. His voice was coming from somewhere above her. He was probably perched atop Appa's head. Toph leaned her back against the side of the saddle.

"Not yet," she answered. "Could you pass me one of the blankets though? It's freezing." In a second or two she felt the poke of Aang's glider on her shoulder and she took the blanket that hung from it. "Thanks."

"You haven't been sleeping well lately," the Avatar went on. "Yet you've been training me for hours on the day."

"You're not sleeping."

"I've _been_ sleeping. Since we got in the air. I just woke up now."

Toph shrugged. "I dunno. I guess I'm too bored to even sleep." She wrapped the linen blanket around her shoulders. "Can I ask you something, Twinkletoes?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Have you told Katara how you feel?"

A lengthy pause followed.

Toph knew she was prying. Yet, she also knew the frustrations people got when they didn't get to talk about the things that troubled them. How many times had she bottled up her emotions when it came to her father's overprotective tendencies? How many times did she get sick and tired when she heard other people whine about their problems when she wasn't even allowed to vent?

Too many times.

"I—er…."

"I know you want to talk about it," she coaxed, snuggling lower into the warmth of the blanket. "And I know you can't talk about it with the worry wart over here." She kicked out her foot and nudged Sokka's leg. She wasn't even sure if she had aimed right, but then she heard a strangle mix between a gargle and a snore and she knew she had hit true. "So go ahead. I'm all ears. Literally."

"Well." He sighed. "No, I guess. I haven't actually told her how I feel." He sounded strained, as if he were slumping. "Is it really that obvious?"

"I can't see, Twinkletoes. And yet, I know. So yeah, I'd say it's pretty obvious."

"Not to her, apparently."

"It's because she's Katara. She's like you in the fact where you're both sort of innocently stupid."

"Hey!"

"It's probably part of why you like her so much."

He groaned. "I wish she'd just figure it out so I wouldn't have to tell her. It'd be much easier that way."

Toph grimaced. "You sound like a girl. Dropping hints and hoping the other will notice?" She shook her head. "You're such an Airbender."

Aang grumbled. "You say it like it's a bad thing."

"In this case, it is. You're avoiding the argument that might come up. You're afraid that she'll reject you, or hate you, or be weird around you, or water whip you, or drown you--,"

"Okay, okay! I get the point." He was rolling his eyes, she just knew it. "I guess I am a little afraid. Should I be taking the Earthbender approach and take this head on?" he added, half-sarcastic. Toph shrugged truthfully.

"I don't really know. Are Avatars allowed to love?"

Aang's sigh was heavy. A sigh from a thousand different times of pondering. "I've wondered that for a long time, but Master Roku was supposed to teach me everything it meant to be the Avatar and I missed him. I don't know if I can love one person. I don't know if any Avatar has."

Toph swiped at her bangs. "That must be tough, liking someone you don't know if you're allowed to like. Weird." She tilted her head to the side. "What if you're not?"

"Not what?"

"Not allowed?"

Aang hesitated. "Why are you asking me such hard questions?"

"It's what I do. My life's goal from now on is to make your life as difficult and uncomfortable as I possibly can. Now, answer the question."

"I…. I don't know. I'm scared because I don't know what I'll do if someone asks me to give her up."

Toph groaned audibly. "My god, you're such a romantic. It's near sickening."

That got him laughing, even though it was a nervous, unsure laugh. She _had_ asked him some pretty hard questions. She was surprised that he hadn't broken down and cried.

"Maybe," he said. "What about you then? Aren't you a romantic?"

"Ha! No."

"Sure you are."

"You're not very observant, are you?"

"No, really." His tone was getting lighter. He was having fun turning the tables around. "You joined us because you wanted to travel as a hero and help us save the world. Isn't that a romantic idea?"

Toph frowned. "But I _am_ traveling as a hero and I _am_ helping to save the world. It's not a romantic idea, it's reality."

"Still--,"

"Whatever."

Aang slid down from Appa's back and sat down next to her, cross-legged. He didn't need a blanket. He was used to the cold air.

"What about you? Have you ever loved anyone?"

The laugh his comment triggered was genuine and hearty, almost waking up the Water Tribe siblings. Thankfully they were both heavy sleepers, and Toph's mirth went unnoticed in their dreams.

"That was funny," she said when she'd finally calmed down enough. "I applaud you for that."

"I'm serious."

"So am I. How could I have loved anyone back home? I was kept a secret by own parents. No one knew whom I was save for my mother, my father and my bending teacher. There wasn't anyone to fall in love with."

An uncomfortable quiet emanated from Aang, and Toph was afraid it was because of pity.

"Haven't you ever wanted to love someone?"

She shrugged, thinking about her answer and then finally settling on telling him the truth. He was the Avatar. He deserved the truth from her every now and then.

"I never really thought I would, and I didn't much count on it." When he didn't answer she sighed. "Look, don't make it a big deal. I lived an isolated life and so I prepared for an isolated life. I wasn't going to have an arranged marriage like other nobles because no one knew I existed, and even if they did well…look at me. So I resolved to just deal with being alone." When he still didn't answer she started to feel self-conscious. "I had all the human contact I needed at Earth Rumble 6. I was fine. I dealt with it."

"You weren't lonely?"

"Of course I was lonely," she snapped, then caught herself. She hadn't planned on being that truthful, but the quiet way he had asked the question had made her snippy. "But we've all got our problems. I was from a wealthy family, so, you know, it balanced out. The impoverished have nothing, yet they can have friends and lovers. We're all on the same page. I get that."

Before Aang could say anything she faked a huge yawn, announced that she was finally tired, and laid down to sleep. She no longer wanted to continue their conversation. She didn't like the sorrowful way things had gone, and she definitely did not want sympathy from someone as emotionally unsure as the Avatar.

--------------------------------

Eventually she did sleep, but it wasn't for long. When she woke up Katara was still slumbering and Aang and returned to Appa's head, curling up in the fur and closing his eyes as well. This time it was Sokka who was awake.

"Morning," he said heavily as she sat up. Toph pushed her hair out of her face. She had tugged it free from its braid in the middle of the night and it was a massive black curtain around her head.

"Is it really morning already?"

"Just about. It's daybreak."

Toph sniffed the air and, sure enough, she could smell the watery sweetness of morning dew.

"We're flying lower."

"Yeah. Appa's still awake, but he dropped out of the sky about an hour ago. Were grazing the tops of some forest or…something…." He was still not fully awake. Toph yawned. She matched the feeling.

"Could you hand me Katara's brush?"

Sokka slid it across the saddle and it hit her knee. She picked it up and went to work on her hair, taming it down till it was silky smooth, just as her mother had done every single day of her life.

"I heard you and Aang last night."

She gathered her hair over her shoulder, frowning. "What are you talking about?"

"You two aren't very quiet. I was awake during the whole conversation."

Toph raised an eyebrow. "You were eavesdropping? How noble."

"Shut up." He kicked her foot lightly. She kicked him back. "I'm trying to be serious."

"Why?"

"What do you mean 'why'? What you two talked about last night was, I don't know, sort of deep."

Toph blew her bangs away from her face. "What are you getting at?"

"I don't think you should give up on falling in love." She heard him as he slumped lower against the side of the saddle. She stopped brushing her hair.

"And I don't think you should deem yourself significant enough to dictate on what I do in life," she shot back icily. It irked her, for some reason, how he had said it; that he _had_ said it. Talking to Aang about it all didn't seem very weird. Talking to Sokka about it did.

"Don't throw your fancy, rich words at me. I'm being completely sincere." His voice was low in his throat, not the light-hearted, goofy sound signature of Sokka. Toph didn't much like it.

"I know," she said, distastefully. "It's weird when you're serious. Stop it."

"No. You shouldn't rule out the love thing. That's unhealthy."

"You obviously weren't listening carefully last night. No one would want to marry me--."

"Because no one knew about you. Yeah, I heard that part. But look around, Toph. You're not holed up in your mansion anymore. People see you now. People know you. The three of us know you."

"Katara, Aang and Sokka know me," Toph mocked lazily. "I'm famous."

"You've got some mouth, haven't you?"

"No one wants to marry a blind girl, Oh Wise Matchmaker. That was what I was trying to get at. People take one look at me and they see a responsibility. I don't want to be someone's project."

Sokka made his way across the saddle and sat down next to her. "That's not what love is. When someone really likes you they won't see you as a burden."

"Says the biggest burden of all."

"Who says I'm a burden?!"

"I do."

"Toph!"

She laughed quietly to herself before. "Okay. Sorry."

"You are so stubborn."

"Sokka, what makes you like girls?"

"Er--…."

"You like them because they're beautiful and funny and clever, right?"

"Er, right…."

"And you like them when they laugh at your jokes and when they suddenly surprise you by defending themselves and showing their strength?"

"Well…yeah…."

"And you like them when they're tall and slim and gorgeous and painted to be the perfect woman. You like them when they hold your hand or look into your eyes."

"…."

Toph gathered her hair together and twisted it into a knot at the nape of her neck. She'd wait for Katara to wake up so she could fix it properly. "Once again, I'm not the type to get married, Sokka. I _know _that and I'm fine with it."

"No, you're not."

"What did I say about you dictating over my life?"

"Listen." He reached over and snatched the brush out of her hand. "And I mean really listen. When love finds you, you better not shut it out and move on based on some ridiculous idea you concocted years ago. Keep an open mind. No one should end up alone."

Toph flicked him on the forehead and snatched the brush back. "Why do you care so much?"

"Because--." Sokka suddenly paused, as if surprised by something. "Huh," he grunted. She frowned at him.

"What now?'

"I never really thought about it, but I guess it's because…well…you're kind of like my best friend."

Toph laughed lowly. "Really?"

"Well. Yeah."

She smiled at him. "Okay then, you're my best friend too, Snoozles." She punched him in the shoulder. Hard. "But that still doesn't mean you can tell me what to do. I don't even let my parents do that."

"You better be good and married before you get too old, that's all I'm saying."

"And when will I be too old?"

"When you can't lift a rock with your bending; I don't know. What's the age you 'rich sorts' get married by?"

"Eighteen."

"Fine. Then you better be married before you're eighteen."

Toph, finished with the brush, tossed it back to Sokka. Well, not exactly tossed it. More threw it. "And what if I'm not?" she shot back, folding her hands behind her head and leaning back against the side of saddle.

"Then I'll marry you."

"Ew. What?"

"If I'm not married by your eighteenth birthday and neither are you, then I'll get down on one knee."

Toph made a genuinely disgusted face at him. "Eh. That's weird. You may be my best friend, but I can barely stand you now. What makes you think I'll be able to stand you when I'm older and far more wiser?"

"Nothing, but it's incentive."

"Tell me about it. Now I'm determined to find someone else."

He laughed. "Good. Just know that I'm going to keep this promise, so you better be looking hard."

"Why are you so keen to keep the promise?"

"Because, if I come back a lonely bachelor then at least I'm guaranteed a wife who can protect me."

Toph kicked him. "That is pathetic."

"Love me for who I am."

"I'd rather make fun of everything that you are."

He shrugged. "Close enough."


	5. Chapter 5

Two years.

Had it really already been two years?

Two years since the end of the war; two years since the defeat of the Fire Nation; two years since Toph had ridden on the back of Appa, sitting beside Aang, Katara and Sokka, on their way to finally put a stop to the death and destruction of Fire Lord Ozai.

Two years…

_Two years of boredom,_ Toph grumbled inwardly as she sat in the grand conference room of Ba Sing Se while the greatest minds of the Earth Kingdom rallied together to reestablish and finalize their laws and treaties within the many kingdoms under the grand Earth King.

In light of their magnanimous success at saving the world, the four friends had fallen into their own ways of repairing the war torn nations. At one point, over a year and a half ago, they had separated for their own duties. Aang was off to the Air Temples to investigate a rumor of the reemergence of Air Nomads. Katara was traveling between the poles to secure communication between the sister tribes while Sokka remained in the South Pole to train the new warriors in the rejuvenated village.

And what was Toph Bei Fong doing?

Toph Bei Fong, fourteen-year-old heiress to the Bei Fong family, the proclaimed world's greatest Earthbender, was sitting in a stuffy conference with thirty or so old, monotonous men and ignoring the squabble between one side of the room and the other.

She sighed.

As a close friend of the Avatar's and as a factor to the salvation of the world, the Earth Kingdom had deemed Toph a valuable asset. They had dubbed her an ambassador in her own right and requested her presence at the enlightened council in order to help bring the Earth Kingdom back into an orderly rule.

And, of course, Toph took up the offer.

Now, however, she regretted it with every fiber of her being.

No fourteen-year-old girl should have had to endure such torture such as listening to adults whine and bicker. Not to mention that there were the selected few that viewed her as only an adolescent menace rather than the reason they were all still alive.

"The Earth King owes compensation to the western border! We endured the worst of the Fire Nation's attacks!"

"The southern citadels have been overrun with Fire Nation contraptions! We need to send aid there first!"

"What about the border control of the city? The Inner Ring is about to be consumed by refugees still seeking to live in Ba Sing Se!"

"You know what I think?" Toph suddenly piped up, tapping her calligraphy brush on the table. Aged voices silenced as everyone's attention fell on the petite girl. "I think we should concern ourselves with rebuilding villages instead of repairing forts or restocking soldier barracks or fussing over the wealthy and their clean robes. Many of the refugees still can't go home because they have no homes to go to. Rebuild the villages and you'll see a much bigger result than just strengthening your walls."

A gruff voice laughed rudely. "Easier said than done. I had expected such simple-mindedness from a young brawler uneducated in the intricacies of politics. Our walls and our bases are far more important at the moment, with the peace still so shaky. Fortifying out defenses is crucial compared to rebuilding petty towns."

Toph gripped her brush so hard that it snapped in her hand. "You can fortify your walls all you want, but I'll still be able to break them down myself! The people of the Earth Kingdom should be the highest priority! They were the ones who laid down their lives to preserve the kingdom and they deserve compensation for their losses!"

With an angry cry Toph slammed her fist into the table, cracking the solid rock down the center until the surface collapsed in on itself. During the mayhem of bitter politicians scrambling about, Toph jumped right out of the second story window, landing in the king's own lavish garden below.

"I hate adults," she grumbled, and stalked off to find a quiet place to calm herself.

-----------------------------

Seventeen-year-old Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe jumped down nimbly from Appa's back, much more coordinated than his previous attempts when traveling with the flying bison. He straightened his back and breathed in the warm, summer scent of Ba Sing Se, a sweet relief from the piercing cold air of the south pole.

"Sokka, catch!"

He looked up in time to see his pack launched down at him from Appa's saddle. Before, when he had been a clumsy boy, he probably wouldn't have caught it in time but, instead, landed in a withering heap. Now, however, training the newest recruits of the Water Tribe Navy had honed his skills, and he easily caught the pack in one hand.

"Thanks, Aang," he called back up, grinning at his minor achievement. When there was no answer he frowned, straining to see where the Avatar had gone to. "Aang?"

The soft whistle of something falling was a late warning to Sokka's ears as another, heavier, pack landed on his head, knocking him back on his rear with painful force.

"OW!" He glanced up to see his sister staring down at him from atop Appa's head.

"You've been bragging about being this new and improved warrior the entire ride here; you didn't expect me to carry my own things after that speech, did you?" Katara called down. Sokka glared at her.

"I hate you," he moaned. She cocked an eyebrow and jumped down from Appa as well.

"You're not allowed to," she retorted, offering him a hand up. After scrutinizing the gesture he took it.

"Back in Ba Sing Se," Aang announced, floating down to join his friends. Sokka noted that finally, after two years, Aang had exceeded Katara's height. Relief swept over him. Now, at least, they wouldn't seem so awkward next to each other. "Seems like forever since we've been here."

"I know," his sister replied. She flipped her hair over her shoulder. It'd gotten a lot longer. "It's a bit surreal."

"I'm just glad for a vacation from ice and snow," Sokka announced. "I'm so glad, in fact, that I don't even care that we're in the worst city ever."

"You sound like Toph," Katara said. "Speaking of which--." Aang nodded.

"Yeah. Let's go get the missing link, shall we? The king said she'd be in council right now."

-----------------------------

She sat alone beneath a cherry blossom tree, her silk, green skirts splayed about her outstretched legs and bare feet. She wiggled her toes and leaned back against the bark as her fingers reached up to trace her face.

The same. Still the same Toph. Most people would have found it saddening to not have changed. She found it utterly comforting.

She sighed and slumped in her seat. Recently her life had dipped into a boring mess, with little to do about nothing. All she was ever required to do was sit in on the conferences and 'give her opinion', which, as had been demonstrated, did not constitute for much with lazy, old farts. She was never required to fight or bend or do _anything_, and it was nearly making her sick. How she longed for the old days, fighting alongside the Avatar, mixing her earthbending with the contrasting swiftness of Katara's waterbending, or circling her opponents with Sokka watching her back.

A dull, miserable ache throbbed in her chest as she thought of her old friends. She sighed heavily and closed her sightless eyes, remembering all that she could of them when they had last been together. Aang's voice had started to crack and deepen, Katara's usual worrying tone had lightened after the war and Sokka's laugh had been growing more buoyant and throaty, all his troubles slowly healing over time. She thought of that last time she had heard their footsteps, three pairs walking away and climbing onto Appa, leaving her behind as they all prepared to go on their separate paths: Aang's silent footfalls, Katara's swishing glide, and Sokka's heavy gait.

Goodness grieve, she was delving too far into her own memories for now she could actually feel Sokka's footsteps, almost to the point of seeing his resounding figure crossing the grassy expanse over to her reclining former, his outliner taller, more masculine. She could almost hear him breathing.

"Toph?"

She jumped and snapped open her jade eyes as she realized that she _had_ heard him approach and that her feet had not betrayed her in showing his arrival. She gaped up to where she knew he stood, unbelieving.

"Sokka?!"

"Toph!"

She stared to get to her feet but was quickly detained as Sokka dropped to his knees and grasped her by the shoulders, pulling her into a tight embrace. So stunned by his sudden appearance Toph allowed him, but once she regained her wits she shoved him back, although not as roughly as she probably would have done at twelve years old.

"Sokka, is it really you?"

"Of course it's me. What are you, blind?"

Toph couldn't help but grin. It was definitely him; no one had that sort of dry, familial humor. But she shook her head all the same, surprised that just thinking of him and brought him right to her. She wondered if it would work with Aang and Katara.

"What—what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in the south pole?"

"I'm allowed to leave," he replied sarcastically, sitting down on the grass in front of her. "I'm not imprisoned there. Sheesh, I thought you'd be glad to see me." He chuckled and she took the chance to box his ear.

"I see your endless supply of bad jokes hasn't worn away," she spat. "Of course I'm happy you're here, but it _is_ a little unexpected. You know, after nearly two years of being absent and all."

Sokka immediately recognized her annoyance as her way of showing that she had missed him, and Sokka took it as such. He had missed her too; had missed telling her stupid jokes and making fun of other people and cheering her on as she crushed their enemies under piles of rock and rubble.

"Two years," he repeated dreamily. "Has it really been that long?"

"Nearly, yes."

"Seems longer."

She shifted on the ground, her happiness apparent. "Are you here alone? Are--,"

"Yes, they're here too," he cut her off, already knowing her question. A smile stole across her face. "We were told you were in council, so Aang and Katara went to go meet with the generals in the conference hall."

"I left that place ages ago," she explained, waving an impatient hand. "I can't stand those people." Sokka laughed lightly.

"I figured as much. That's why I'm out here."

Toph sighed and tugged at her ear, trying to distract herself from how excited she was feeling. Aang, Katara and Sokka were back; her friends had returned. In the midst of her missing them they had conjured again from the past. She shook her head, thinking to herself. When had she started depending on them so much? When had she begun to care so profoundly for them?

Silence stretched out between the old friends, but it was a comfortable one. The reunion was sudden, and Sokka knew that Toph would let it sink in and leave all the usual tears and squeals and giggles out. She would deal with her emotions silently, pretending to not have any at all. He smiled as he watched her, waiting for her to speak first.

He studied her as she assessed her thoughts, tilting his head thoughtfully to the side. Of course, he couldn't point out all the things that had changed about him over the time span but, if asked, he could clearly point out every altercation on Toph.

Even with her sitting he could tell that she'd grown a few inches or so, her earthbending muscles lengthening out into her longer and leaner frame. She had finally decided to cut her hair, leaving it to fall freely between her shoulders blades, yet still clinging to her fringe of bangs and her ever-present headband. She was donned in a simple yet impressive dress, the swooping neckline exposing a delicate, golden pendent around her neck. Sokka smiled at this for he had always known Toph to detest jewelry, an annoyance she had obviously overcome in light of her new necklace and the matching earrings dangling on either side of her face.

Her face…

Curse him if ever Toph knew he'd been thinking it, but Toph was undergoing a drastic change, especially in her features. She no longer looked like a little kid but was on the very cusp of transforming into a woman, and a pretty woman at that. Her delicate features no longer made her look impish but more fey, making her pale, green eyes an attractive asset in comparison. Her cheekbones were becoming more pronounced and the knowing quirk of her smile offered her vast intimidation. She was, in a word, adorable.

_Give her a couple more years and she'll turn every single head in Ba Sing Se_, Sokka mused, smiling. If ever he decided to voice such a thought to her out loud he was certain to have it met with her usual ridiculing laugh before he was vaulted into the air with a nonchalant stomp of her heel.

Just as he was thinking this Toph lifted herself out of her inner thoughts and lifted her chin, ready to talk.

"Is it all right then, if I see you?"

A long pause followed. She waited for his answer in quiet reserve. Most girls, she knew, would have been weepy and nearly uncontrollable with blathering questions in such a situation, but not her. She suddenly had her friends back, and she wanted a complete and proper update to what they had been doing all this time, starting with how they looked. She wanted to know what was familiar and what had changed.

At first she thought Sokka simply wasn't going to answer her, but then she felt him take hold of her wrists and guide her hands to his face, her fingertips touching his skin.

"Go ahead, then. It's been a while, anyway," he replied, a definite lightness to his tone. She let her skin make contact with his, her head cocked to the side, contemplative.

Harder lines, a stronger jaw. His noise, broken and healed over more times than before. Training the soldiers in the south had made him lose weight and gain pain endurance. His chin boasted of manly stubble and his hardened skin told her of the harsh winds and bitter cold the pole had to offer. Long lashes, probably a trait he now shared with Katara, and the same wily mouth. His hair was longer now and his ears were bigger than she remembered.

Her fingers explored beyond his face and down to his neck, where his telltale choker still resided against his Adam's apple. She touched his collarbone and felt taut muscle beneath his tunic. She poked him in the chest, her finger colliding with rock hard sinew. She raised an eyebrow.

"Not a wimp anymore, huh?" she teased. He laughed.

"I like to think so."

"Well, don't get cocky now." She withdrew her probing fingers and folded them in her lap, a habit she had gotten used to in her time being an ambassador. She clicked her teeth, thoughtful. "You've changed, but not too much. Not to the point where I can't recognize you. You've been training, that's painfully apparent." She couldn't help but sound resentful, jealous of his freedom to do physical tasks.

"Not much action on your end?" he guessed. She nodded.

"Is it that obvious?"

He sighed. "How have you been, Toph?"

She shrugged, smiling at him and waving about her hands languidly, taking in the garden and the many structures of the palace that surrounded them. "Perfectly and utterly fabulous," she replied sarcastically. "You?"

"Have you fallen in love yet?" he asked instantly, ignoring her question. She leaned back against the tree, shaking her head.

"Not that I know of, no. How about you? Who's the lucky woman now?"

"No one." He didn't sound disappointed about it. "Not lately."

"How shocking." Toph gathered her hair out of her face and over her right shoulder. "But I don't care about that. Tell me what you've been doing; tell me something exciting. I need something exciting."

And so Sokka told her exciting things, recounting the last year and a half in almost accurate detail, telling of all his little excursions and mini adventures in helping his father rebuild the Water Tribe Navy.

So involved was their conversation that neither noticed the day drag on, the afternoon sun spanning the sky and making its solitary descent behind the hills to make way for night. Not until the evening horns began to sound did either give notice to how the time had passed beyond their realm of conversation.

"What the devil is that sound?" Sokka asked, interrupted midway through an intricate story by the horns. Toph sighed.

"The stupid gala is going to start in an hour or two," she breathed. "You know about the gala, right?"

"Of course. The Earth King was hoping we'd make it in time."

And it made sense, of course. For a gala that was meant to ease all the reinstated nobles into a familiar relationship with the Earth King and his new council, it was almost essential for the Avatar to be present. What better way for the sovereign to win the favor of his high-class subjects than by showing his close akin with the master of all four elements?

_That's probably why I wasn't accosted for breaking up the council,_ Toph figured. _The king probably wants me to get him into Aang's good graces_.

"Well, at least the evening won't be so dull now that you guys are here. Want to be my escort then?" she asked casually. She didn't see him raise an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Would I have to wait in line?"

"Ha ha," she replied, making such a hideously contorted face at him that he couldn't help but laugh. It was hard, trying to engage in playful banter with Toph. He always lost his cool in light of her ridiculous antics. "Make sure you dress nicely! I'll not have a peasant sullying my reputation."

"Of course not, dearest lady," he mocked. "Should we leave and prepare, then?"

"I am prepared," Toph snapped, crossing her arms over her modest dress. "Are you insulting me and saying I don't look utterly amazing?"

"Yes," he teased, but then cried out, "No, of course not!" as she shifted her foot and a small mount of earth twitched next to him. "You look really nice today," he said sincerely, falling back into his easy tone.

"I know," she replied, almost as if she were annoyed with the compliment. "I have to look good for the council members and the rich brats and the generals."

Sokka laughed. "You sound so happy about it."

"I'm a physical fighter. You don't know how hard it is to try and convince people of your argument without throwing a rock right between their eyes!"

"You're not exactly dressed for that kind of persuasion," he offered, tugging at her sleeves. "Although I'm not exactly complaining." She felt him lean in close. "You also smell like….jasmine."

"Wonderful," she scoffed, poking him in the ribs. "Just make sure you don't smell funky, like your sleeping bag," she reminisced, recalling his dreaded rolled up pallet.

"I don't smell." He plucked at his perfectly tailored blue tunic, complete with a silk white trim and fur-lined cuffs. "Do I smell?"

"No. Not now, anyway. Just make sure you're presentable for high society."

He rose to his feet and tugged her up with him. "I'm beautiful, you're beautiful, together we make a beautiful couple. Come on. They're going to be looking for you and, given time, my sister will be looking for me."

He tugged on her arm as they made their way down the path.

"Are you going to stay latched onto my wrist the entire way back?" Toph asked.

"Yes."

"All right. Just checking."

------------------------------------

At the party Sokka was the perfect companion. He was always at her side, talking with the people that she had to talk to and walking with her wherever she went. They ate and drank whatever was offered to them and laughed when people expected them to. When asked about her blindness Toph would turn to Sokka and the two would pretend they had no idea what people were talking about.

They had a grand time. They had a fun time. Just like old times. Old times made new.

----------------------------------

"Why did you turn down that guy?" Sokka hissed in her ear. They were standing by the windows. Music was playing and the gentle thumping of dancing filled the room. A boy with a low voice and heavy steps had just asked Toph to dance. She had declined. He had walked away very disappointed.

"Did you smell him? He's been into his wine goblet all night. I would prefer not to have my feet stepped on, thank you."

"That's the fourth offer you've declined all night."

"So?"

"So, you've _tried_ to find a problem with every single one. You pick out the most random flaws."

"Again: so?"

He grunted disapprovingly. "You're doing this on purpose."

"Yes, I am."

He was incredulous. "Toph! You're not even going to deny it? I thought you were going to actually try to--. You seemed like you were having fun all this time."

"I was," she confirmed. "I was having fun not dancing."

Sokka was frowning. "You've danced before. I've seen you."

"Yes. I know that, Sokka," she replied simply.

"So, why won't you dance?"

"I just don't want to."

He paused, brooding for a moment. "Will you dance with me?" he asked quietly. Toph went strangely still before turning slowly to face him, her expression one of pure and innocent confusion.

"Dance? With you?" she sounded genuinely, and sweetly, caught off guard. Sokka felt himself suddenly blush. He'd never blushed when it came to Toph.

"Well, er…yeah. Would you dance with me?" he repeated. He watched, silently, as she reached up a hand towards his face and flicked him on the forehead. Hard. "Ow!"

"If I didn't want to dance with four other suitors then what makes you think I'd want to dance with you?"

He clamped a hand to his face, scowling. "I…I don't know. I just thought--…."

Toph gasped dramatically. "You _think_?"

"Shut up."

She smirked at him. "Despite your petty assumptions of my person, when I make decisions I make them with the full intention to keep them, no matter what variables fly my way. Some people may call it--,"

"Being a stubborn ass," Sokka offered grudgingly. Toph frowned.

"But I prefer to look at it as being strong-willed."

He grunted sullenly. "Whatever. I'm going outside for some fresh air."

"Don't die," she said, waving her hand off-handedly. He rolled his eyes.

"Your sentiment is outstanding."

----------------------------------

Sokka had just stepped out onto the garden terrace when he was soon joined by his sister, who was resplendent in a green and gold gown, a gift she'd received months before from Toph.

"Having fun?" she asked, coming to stand next to him at the terrace rail. She automatically reached up and fixed his collar; a sisterly habit she found hard to break.

"Yeah, sort of," he sighed, leaning against the rail. He automatically sought out Toph in the crowd. He relaxed when he saw that Aang had joined her and was making her laugh and not some stranger. "I haven't danced with anyone yet."

"That shouldn't be a huge loss. Trust me, you're not a great dancer."

"Ha. Ha."

She smiled up at her brother. Over the past two years he had grown quite a bit. Now he was far beyond a head taller than her and time in the training camps had turned his scrawny limbs into…well, not exactly warrior's build, but less scrawny.

"So, how's Toph? We haven't spoken since I got here. I was waiting till after the council, but they said she ran out halfway through the meeting."

"She was in the garden," he said, looking down at his little sister. "We all know she's restless."

Katara laughed. "I'd pay to see her lose her temper during council." She glanced over to where Sokka had been staring. Toph was entertaining Aang by shaking the dance floor every now and then and tripping the couples.

"How's Aang dealing with his Avatar business?" Sokka asked. She shrugged.

"Fine, I guess. He just negotiated a settlement or something with King Bumi. He tried to explain it to me, but I don't even think he knows what it was about. Something to do with a monkey."

"Bird-monkey?"

She shook her head. "No, just a monkey."

"Huh. Weird."

"I know."

"Weren't you with him in Omashu?"

"No. I was taking care of things in the North—er, the North Pole." She glanced up warily at him, wondering if mentioning the North Pole brought him any painful memories. But from the look of intent that he was focusing on Toph, he didn't seem to have heard her.

"Noble thing we're doing," he suddenly said, dropping his eyes to his feet. "Still taking care of the world, even after we already saved it."

"I know," Katara agreed. "But would we really have it any other way?"

"Probably not."

------------------------------------

"You're actually really horrible," Aang admitted, trying to stifle his laugh. Toph only grinned maliciously behind her fan.

"The third councilman and his stuffy wife are out there and they think that my 'understanding of politics' was skewed during the time we were _traveling and saving the world_!" She practically shouted the last part so that more than half the dance floor heard her, including the aforementioned councilman and his wife. Toph nodded her head in satisfaction and hid behind her fan once more. "So my grudge is perfectly justified. I was actually _doing_ something to save the world. I'd know, better than any of them, what sort of politics need to be issued to keep the peace."

"So tripping a respected member of the Earth Kingdom so that he lands, face first, into the punch bowl is justified?" Aang laughed. She shrugged, feigning innocence.

"What are they going to say? I'm standing with the Avatar, and they wouldn't dare to think that you could be involved in something so juvenile."

"They obviously don't know me." Aang sighed, absently tugging at his ceremonial robes. "When are you going to be done here? I already brought Katara and Sokka from the poles. There's an uprising in the southern end of the kingdom and we need you to come."

Toph nearly giggled. The Avatar, master of all four elements, was whining. "Believe me, I'd rather be anywhere than this peacock fest," she grumbled. "But if I don't stay for the last four days of the council than those grumpy old men will confirm laws that either don't make sense or else will benefit no one but themselves."

"Fine, fine. Four more days."

She smiled behind her masking fan. "Look on the bright side: you haven't seen Katara in a while. You two can take the time to walk around Ba Sing Se and catch up."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." His tone had definitely lightened. "What about you? Why didn't you dance with any of the boys who asked you earlier?"

Toph groaned. "Not you too. Why is everyone on me about dancing?"

"Who else is on you?"

"Sokka."

"Oh."

She whirled on him, her pale, unseeing eyes looking directly into his own. "What do you mean 'oh'?"

Aang shook his head hurriedly. "Nothing. Really."

Toph rolled her eyes. "After all this time, you're articulation of speech is astoundingly obtuse." Her remark caused Aang to blow gently in her direction, making her whack herself in the face with her own fan.

"Keep your expensive words to yourself," he laughed. Toph clicked her fan shut and pointed it in his face.

"You get two of those a year and that's it," she warned, her eyes narrowed menacingly. Aang shrugged.

"All right then. I'll save the second for a far more embarrassing moment."

"Good luck with that. Oh no," she suddenly groaned, her head tilted to the right as she frowned. "Brace yourself. The Earth King and his attendants are approaching and they're going to be as annoying as they possibly can just because they're meeting the Avatar."

Aang dully groaned with her. "Ah, man. I hate when this happens."

"Likewise," the earthbender replied, but the two steeled themselves for the onslaught of high society ridiculousness and polite chitchat.

-----------------------

That night, as Toph lay in her bed amidst the many lavish rooms of her townhouse in the inner ring, she smiled as she turned her head on her pillow. In the room down the hall Sokka and Aang were probably already snoring, and in the bed next to her Katara was breathing deeply as she fell into the greater depths of sleep.

Toph had been more than willing to open her house to her friends, telling them that it would be more than foolish to get a townhouse for themselves when hers was too big as it was. Having them fill her rooms and halls with their voices was a relief to the dreadful silence she was plagued with when her family attendants would leave her to herself.

But tonight the four friends had stayed up long after the gala had ended, gathered together in Toph's sitting room, sharing stories over a nighttime compilation of savory desserts. They were no longer the Avatar, the ambassador, the Water Tribe correspondent and the military man, but the twinkletoes, the blind bandit, the sugar queen and snoozles. Momo had been there too, drifting about in the background, and they had left the back window open so that Appa could be visible in the back paddock.

Only ten minutes ago had everyone begun to yawn and they finally decided it was time for bed. Everyone had flopped onto their covers and succumbed to sleep, but not Toph. She wasn't in the least bit tired, her demeanor wide awake.

And it was only partially because they had devoured all the sweets.

And it was only partially because she was excited for the four days to be up and they would be off on an adventure again.

And it was more than a little partially because she was glad to be reunited with her friends.

But mostly it was because now, with three very significant and powerful figures in her immediate acquaintance, there was no way the council of ancient, snobby men would dare oppose her word again, and the thought made Toph bubble with excitement of the coming dawn.

She felt herself smile.

Two years…

…how had she survived without them?


	6. Chapter 6

Sokka had dared her.

He had teased her, mocked her, taunted her, haunted her, and dared her. Even after she pummeled him with rocks and threatened to smack him around with boulders he continued to follow her around the city, never letting the subject die and continuing to renew his dare.

All over that stupid boy who had approached her that morning.

The council meeting that had started off the day had been, as regarded by most, a complete disaster. To Toph, however, it had been the most progressive meeting she had attended.

The Avatar had been present, as was expected, and he had supported Toph's suggestion of tending to the people of the kingdom as first priority, as Toph had expected. This had escalated the meeting into a huge and gigantic debate, with half the room trying to respectfully deny the Avatar's input while the other half whole-heartedly went along with anything Aang had said, disregarding the fact that Toph had been preaching the same thing for over a month. It had adjourned then with nothing being accomplished save for the demonstration that the Avatar's support fell behind the young earthbending girl.

It had been, in short, a very good and satisfying morning.

That was until Aang and Toph had gone to meet the Water Tribe siblings in the gardens so that the four could spend the day in the city together to reestablish old bonds.

To both of their surprise, Katara and Sokka had not been waiting for them alone. A third person had joined their duet and had been engaging them in avid conversation as the two council-ridden friends approached.

The boy had introduced himself as one of the sons of one of the elite captains from one of the Earth Kingdom's respectable families. Toph had not listened as he gave his name and his age, but she knew it had been something short like 'Ju' or 'Li' and he had been fourteen or fifteen or something or other.

Toph had figured he had been engaging the siblings because he knew them to be friends with the Avatar, and he wished to advance his position. So it came as a real surprise when he had turned to Toph, dropped to one knee and asked her to join him on an evening upon his riverboat.

Her initial reaction had been to laugh.

So, she laughed.

When she realized the boy had not laughed along with her she understood, with a jolt, that he had been serious. She had quickly silenced her mirth and begged him to stand back up, embarrassed that such a display was happening in front of her friends.

She had declined him as politely as she could, fighting her instinct to simply shrug him off and escape while Aang created a distraction. But the boy had been a persistent sort, and he continued to 'beg' her to 'illuminate his evening with her presence'. Trying especially hard not to make a disgruntled face at him, Toph had denied him a second time, but to no avail. The boy had merely repeated his invitation, bowed low to her before she could respond, and walked away, calling back that he would be waiting for her at the Emerald Docks at six.

Although Katara and Aang had shared secretive smiles and knowing looks, the two had had the sense enough not to pester Toph about her admirer.

Sokka, on the other hand, was different.

"I dare you to go," he repeated for the millionth time as the two walked along behind Katara and Aang as they perused through one of the many shops littered throughout the city. Toph reached out her hand for the nearest object and smacked it over Sokka's head, earning a satisfied crack as the object collided with his hard-headed skull. She weighed it in her hand and dropped back into place. Whatever it was had been square and hard.

"You just hit me in the head with a tin music box!" he cried, wailing very much as if he were fourteen again. Toph shrugged and kept walking.

"Serves you right," she spat back. Katara had agreed.

"It was completely justified," she said, picking up a hair clasp and examining the inlaid jade. "I don't appreciate you pestering her either."

"Thank you, Sugar Queen," Toph replied politely, crossing her arms in defiance. "It's good to know not everyone from the Water Tribe is a moronic imbecile."

"That's redundant," Sokka grumbled. Toph rounded on him.

"So is this," she declared and picked up the music box again and gave him another good whack on the head.

The four had exited the store and returned back out to the street to the sound of Aang's laughter. The Avatar walked ahead with Katara and the two called back that they were going to look inside a bookstore a little ways down the street. That left Toph with Sokka, and the dual cracks she had given him on the head did nothing to dampen his mood.

"I double dare you," he said, reestablishing his proposal. Toph shook her head as they made their way down the busy street.

"Why are you so keen on making me go, anyway?" she demanded, rubbing the place between her eyes. She was getting a headache.

"Because you won't go unless someone makes you."

She dropped her hand and frowned. "So?"

"So?! So how will you ever meet someone if you reject everyone who shows interest in you?"

Toph barked out a laugh. "Oh, terribly sorry! I didn't know I had to get married before I went to sleep tonight!"

"You know what I mean and don't pretend you don't," he shot back, his voice low and all-knowing. "This is exactly what I was talking about all those years ago. Do you remember?"

Toph shrugged dramatically, not really knowing what he was referring to and not really caring. She tugged viciously at her collar, wishing she had had the sense to change into leisurely clothes instead of remaining in yet another of her stuffy dresses.

"I never really know what you're talking about," she replied, off-handedly. "None of us ever do. We just pretend."

Sokka grabbed her hand and forced her to stop, tugging her around to face him. "I'm talking about that morning when we were riding Appa and I told you that if you weren't married by the age of eighteen _I_ was going to marry you!"

Toph's shock was genuine this time, her eyebrows threatening to disappear into her hairline.

"You remembered that?" she asked, shocked. Sokka sighed sullenly.

"Obviously I'm the only one."

"I thought you were kidding," she said truthfully, grinning a little. "I didn't think you'd actually propose to me if I ended up old and alone." She started to walk away but Sokka pulled her back, grasping her by the shoulders to keep her still. The slight pause that followed was serious and somber, not at all like the light-hearted atmosphere they'd been playing in moments before. Toph held fast to her tongue, knowing that his grave demeanor was not something to trifle with.

"All joking aside," he started, his voice a low rumble. "You're still my best friend, Toph, even after all this time. And, damn it, you're a great girl too and I hate that you're shutting yourself away from everyone!"

"I am not--,"

"Yes," he interrupted. "You are."

Toph could feel his eyes on her and she dropped her head, letting her bangs fall in front of her face. Silence stretched between them, underscored by the bustling sounds of the city.

"Maybe I just don't like anyone," Toph finally spoke up, semi-admitting to her shielded nature. Sokka sighed.

"You've never even given half these guys a chance, have you?"

"It's charity, Sokka," Toph finally said, admitting to the biggest factor for her constant rejections. "I know it is. All the prissy little boys are just sent to be nice to me by their rich mothers and fathers. And if not charity then it's social squabble. I'm a fourteen-year-old titled ambassador and heiress to the wealthiest family in the kingdom; anyone looking to advance themselves in status would find the perfect hoist upward in courting me."

It was definitely one of the saddest speeches that Sokka had ever heard in his life. It was also probably true for a few of the brutes that had tried for Toph's affection. But it all just aided in the greatness that was Toph, because any other girl would have given such a monologue with teary eyes and a choked up throat. Toph delivered her thoughts with the defiance and irritation that it deserved, seeing everything as a nuisance more than a pity presentation.

He grinned.

Even after all the training he'd done he still didn't compare to her strength.

"Not this boy," he replied, draping an arm around her shoulder as they turned to resume walking. "Believe me, when he came up to Katara and me asking where you were and explaining his circumstances, we put him through his paces. Especially Katara. Poor kid; I've been pummeled by her questions enough to know that she's a mean interrogator."

Toph smiled to herself. She'd have to remember to treat Katara to a day at the finest spa in Ba Sing Se.

"Well good to know _you_ like him," she moaned out loud.

"He says he's admired you for a long time now and he just recently worked up the courage to approach you. Did you detect him lying when he said he genuinely wished you'd consider him?"

She frowned deeply. "No."

"Excellent!" He shook her shoulders. "Then you should go to the Emerald Docks at six and—what was it?—'illuminate his evening with your presence'?"

Toph elbowed him in the ribs. "No."

"I dare you."

"No."

"I double dare you."

"No."

"I triple dare you."

A pause.

"I promise to pull off a very extravagant prank that will make the council end early tomorrow."

Toph turned to him, grinned maliciously and held out her hand for a sealing shake. "Deal."

-----------------------

Mysteriously, the next day's meeting of the council had ended only thirty minutes after it began after a most unpleasant ordeal that had involved a skunkfish, green tea, poison oak and Momo.

At midday Toph and Sokka could be found on the palace steps laughing heartily, Toph having changed out of her stuffy dress and into her more comfortable tunic and trousers which she had so conveniently brought with her, almost as if she'd known the council would disperse so early.

"I give you full and complete credit for that," she said, clapping Sokka on the back. "I've never heard the chairmen squeal that loudly before!"

"I know," the boy gasped, trying to speak between his guffaws. "I never knew old men could make that sound."

There were a few more minutes of laughing and congratulations before the two friends finally settled down, calming themselves to simple sighs and deep exhalations of mirth. Soon they were simply lounging along the steps, smiling as they 'watched' the newest recruits of the army practicing their drills in the courtyard below them.

"So…"

Toph did not like the way he dragged out the word. She leaned back on her elbows and played at nonchalance.

"So?"

"So, how did your evening go with Jai?"

Toph moaned dramatically and laid back against the marble steps, her hands folded behind her head. "Fine, I guess."

But that wasn't enough to satisfy Sokka.

"What do you mean, fine? Be more specific."

She shrugged. "There aren't that many details to give, okay! I went to the docks, we got on the boat, we ate dinner and talked for far too long and when we docked I had my carriage take me home. End of story."

"What did you eat? Was his boat big? Did he hire musicians to play? How far up river did you go? What did you talk about? Did he offer you desert? What did you wear?"

Toph turned towards his general direction, mouth open in disgusted shock, before she punched him, hard, in the back. "Are you a man or not?" she demanded. "Don't start twittering about like some stupid gossiping debutante! Man," she sighed, leaning back once more as Sokka rubbed his assaulted back. "Not even Katara is as flippy as you."

"Well, can you blame me? You're not telling me everything."

"I already told you, there's not much to tell," she snapped. "Jai is all right, I guess, but a little boring if you ask me. He was nice enough and I was close to laughing once or twice, but the spoiled brat knows nothing about the world, and the most work he's ever done was pick up a fork," she breathed, shaking her head. Sokka couldn't help but smile a little at her. For someone who still held definite traces of being a little girl she could certainly talk as if she'd been around for ages. "His intelligence for politics is about a zero and he can bend earth but only to the level of a two year old. He's good at math though, I guess."

"Sounds like a wondrous evening," Sokka replied, grinning. He leaned back next to Toph, his closeness causing her to lean away, suspicious.

"You're too close," she said dully. "What do you want?"

"Toph…"

"What?!"

"Did he kiss you?" Sokka asked, smirking mischievously. Toph's face instantly hardened and she turned to stare her pale eyes into his own, her face inches from his.

"First of all," she said, her voice low and menacing. "Ew. Second of all: no. And third of all…." She slammed her fist into the stair she was leaning against and the steps Sokka was leaning on flattened themselves out, letting him slide the entire half mile down the palace stairs to the courtyard below, his frightened screams interrupting the drilling soldiers. "It's none of your damn business!" she yelled down at him, part of her angry, part of her laughing shrilly as he cried out in terror.


	7. Chapter 7

Jai had come to say good-bye to her before she left with the Avatar.

He had brought her flowers which, he had said, were every shade of yellow. She had pointed out, blandly, that she didn't know what that meant. He had sputtered then, embarrassed, saying that he hadn't meant to offend her and that he had forgotten she was blind for she was so independent. Toph decided that this was really a very nice compliment, and so she redeemed herself by saying that they smelled nice.

But she had to admit that it was a sweet relief to feel Appa lift up in the air and to hear Jai's farewell mixed with the Earth King's and the entire court's fade away as they rose higher and higher.

"Finally! I'm getting away from fabricated responsibilities and off to do something that's actually useful," she exclaimed, stretching her arms high above her head and flexing her bare feet. She was thankfully void of her pretty dresses and was back into comfortable breeches and a loose tunic, her shorter hair tucked up and away from her neck. Beside her she could feel Katara twist around in her seat, probably looking back down at the city.

"I'd ask you if you'd miss anything back there but I can't imagine what," she said truthfully, her comely voice holding her subtle dislike for the Earth Kingdom capitol. "Even after all this time, that city still makes me want to leave it the minute I enter."

"Just think how I've felt for the last two years."

"Well, you've done a lot," Aang offered. "They're passing judgment on your Refugee Relief Campaign."

"Only because you seconded it."

"Hey, it's the advantage of having the Avatar at your back. Learn to enjoy the perks," Sokka quipped. Toph blew at her fringe of bangs.

"Yeah, I suppose so." She started to slump against her pack when she felt Jai's bouquet poke her in the back. "Ow…Katara, can you take care of these? I don't know what to do with them."

"This was really nice of him," Katara commented, relieving Toph of the flowers and wrapping their stems in damp linen. "Even if he didn't know you weren't partial to flowers."

"Dimwit."

"You don't have to be so harsh on him."

"But I could if I wanted to." The younger girl slumped back against the edge of the saddle, the wind whipping at her face. "He gave me those flowers because it's a typical gesture. If he had been listening when we were talking on the boat a few days back he would have remembered me saying that I did not like flowers after he shoved a vase full of them towards my face."

Katara made a face. "So you already told him you didn't like them?"

"Yes."

"He is a dimwit then."

"Don't pound the kid too much," Sokka injected, crawling to sit next to his sister and taking the bouquet from her hand. "These are beautiful."

"Then_ you_ can have them," Toph grumbled. "Since you're so in love with Jai and all." She turned away from them then and pushed her face out towards the oncoming wind, purposefully ignoring everyone. So profound was her ignorance that she didn't hear Katara punch Sokka in the shoulder.

"She's right, you know," she informed her brother. "You've been pushing this Jai thing a little hard. Why do you advocate for that boy so much?"

"I do not advocate for him!"

"Yeah," Aang called back from atop Appa's head, "you do."

"Just drive the bison."

"In fact," Katara went on. "You've been pushing the dating aspect on Toph since the moment we landed in Ba Sing Se. Why are you so interested in her personal life anyway?"

"What are you talking about? I haven't been so absorbed in--,"

"Yeah," Aang called back again, "you have."

"Hey, what happened to male camaraderie? Katara can side with Toph, but you're supposed to side with me."

"Even if you're wrong?"

"Especially if I'm wrong!"

"Well sheesh, all right." Aang wrapped Appa's reign around his horns, patted him on the head, and air-lifted himself back so that he was sitting in the saddle with the others. "Sokka hasn't been pushing anything," he replied rather unconvincingly, stretching out his legs. Katara giggled and Toph threw him an appreciative nod. He smiled and leaned back on his hands. Sokka narrowed his eyes.

"You're a bad teammate," he grumbled. He crawled away from his sister and over to Toph's side, sitting directly in front of her so that she couldn't pretend to ignore the sound of his voice.

"Don't you like him?" he asked. She rolled her unseeing eyes.

"Not as much as you do."

"Just drop it," Katara told her brother before she scooted closer to Aang and they went on talking about a book they had found in the shops. "Leave her alone, Sokka."

"Yes, leave me alone. You're starting to make me uncomfortable with this Jai thing."

"Whatever. In all the years I've known you, you've never been uncomfortable with anything."

"Well I am now. Back off."

"There's no earth up here, Toph. Your threats are empty to me."

She turned her body away from the rail and leaned in close to him. "There may not be earth, Snoozles, but if I recall, we've got a few metal utensils in our inventory which would be more than easy for me to use."

He grimaced. How stupid of him to forget.

"Damnit."

Toph reached over and flicked him on the forehead again. "Are you so interested in my personal life because you lack one or something?" He gasped a little too dramatically.

"No, not at all! Just because I'm not…doesn't mean I've been alone this whole--,"

She only laughed and nodded. "Riiiight."

"I was busy, remember? I told you about the ice breaking and how we had to navigate the fleet to safer water."

"Yeah, yeah. The great navigation that you commanded that took three weeks." She waved her hand absently. "So very exciting."

"It was, actually. _Very_ exciting. There were a lot of things to do and everyone needed my advice on stuff and no one could do anything without my approval."

Toph smiled and patted him graciously on the shoulder in a very mothering sort of gesture to show her false pride in him. "Very good, Sokka. I'm so happy for you!"

"You know, sarcasm has started to not be a good color on you."

"Since when?"

"Since it's been directed at me!"

"It's only ever been directed at you."

"Exactly."

They stared at each other for a moment before they both burst out laughing. Momo scurried over to Toph and alighted on her shoulder, interested in what was so funny to them.

"Geez, just out of the city for fifteen minutes and I'm already so much happier," she sighed. "This is exactly what I needed."

"Then why'd you take the ambassador's position?" Sokka asked, still smiling. "I was actually surprised when you said yes. I thought I'd never catch you living in Ba Sing Se."

She shrugged. "I had to. What other choice did I have?"

He suddenly frowned at her, the mirth leaving him instantly. "What do you mean, you didn't have a choice? I didn't know you didn't have a choice."

She shot him an uncertain, lopsided grin, not sure if he was joking or genuinely taken by surprise.

"What are you on about? Aang had to go to the Air Temples and still keep up his duties as Avatar. He travels so much and leaves at odd times, like the middle of the night, and we all agreed it would be best if we let him do his thing for a while. We all agreed to settle down somewhere."

"I know," Sokka said, still not understanding her reasoning. "That's why Katara and I went back to the South Pole."

"Yes, to do your rebuilding thing with your village and the Northern Water Tribe."

"Yeah." He waited, still not following her. She threw up her hands, frustrated.

"And hello?! What were you guys going to do with me? Dump me off Appa's back on your way back home? I had no where else to go except back to my parents' estate and there was no way I'd risk going back there. Even after everything that's happened I'm not sure if they'd lock me up the minute I touched back down. So I took the title the Earth King offered me. It gave me a reason to stay away from home and a place to settle while you guys fulfilled your duties." She kicked his leg. "Duh."

She slid down so that she was stretched out, her upper body raised on her elbows. For a long time Sokka didn't say anything, and although the silence was much better than him poking into her relationship status with Jai, it was too unnerving to be comfortable.

"What now?" she demanded, breaking the tension between them. She felt him shift in his seat.

"I thought you were going to come with us."

"Huh?"

He moved so that he was sitting right next to her, his hip next to her waist. He loomed over her and she just knew that his expression was disapproving and somewhat angry without him being angry at all.

"I thought you were going to come with Katara and me."

She distorted her features, her brow furrowing and her lip rising in a doubtful expression. "You did?"

"Yeah. I thought that was the plan all along. You'd come stay with us while we all waited for Aang."

"You never said that. Katara never said that."

"We thought it was assumed."

"Well, you know what happens when you assume." Although the majority of her sarcasm had been absent in light of her obvious disbelief. "But…but I wouldn't have been able to see in the South Pole. The ground is too cold."

"You would have been with one of us the entire time. You know that. You and me, we were always the team when we'd split up."

Toph pushed him back so that she could rise to a sitting position. This was all news to her.

"You thought I'd come with you? Really?"

"Yes! But we sure as hell weren't going to say anything when you accepted the ambassador title," he replied. "You're the independent one, Toph, and we always look needy in comparison to you. We didn't want to have to beg you to stay when we knew you didn't need us."

_But I did,_ she thought suddenly. _I needed you guys more than you'll ever know._

"Oh," was all she could say in return. A foreign, unknown blush began to creep onto her cheeks. She started to say something else, thought better of it, and then let out a breath. "Oh."

"Good grief, woman," Sokka said, shaking his head and letting out a strained laugh. "I had no idea you didn't know that."

"Hey, I know I'm amazing, but I can't read minds."

"Yeah, I guess it was kind of our fault." She felt him moving and figured he was shaking his head. "I got so worked up about it too, after we dropped you off. Katara was so sad and Aang was surprised. And you hurt my feelings."

"Whatever." She leaned back on her hands. "Hurt your feelings…it's your fault, you idiot."

"Not necessarily." He plopped down on his back. "I can just imagine all the sarcastic quips you would have pulled if we begged you to stay with us."

"You didn't have to beg," she shot back. "You just had to tell me what you guys were planning. I mean, honestly, I can understand it from you, but from Katara? She's smarter than that. I think you've had a bad influence on her."

She turned away towards the wind. Sokka nudged her leg with his elbow.

"Would you have said yes?"

"Hm?"

"Would you have said yes?"

"To what? Staying in the South Pole with you two?"

"Yeah."

She tilted her head back and pursed her lips. "I don't know, actually. I never really liked the cold. But I guess…yeah. I probably would have."

Sokka nudged her again. "And imagine how much grief you would have saved us. We wouldn't have had to trudge all the way to the Earth Kingdom for you."

"You better have, irregardless."

"We did, didn't we?"

She smiled. "Yeah."

-----------------------------------------

That night they camped in a clearing in a pine forest, staying close to a river so that Appa could refresh himself in the cool water. Aang got the fire going while Toph set up a nice, solid perimeter wall around their site. Katara washed Appa while Sokka went ahead and did everything else in his continuing attempt to prove that he was just as useful as any bender.

Satisfied with her defenses, Toph plopped down next to Aang as he extended a hand over the flames, coaxing the fire warm enough to cook their food. The heat intensified and Toph felt it slap against her skin.

"I remember way back when you never wanted to bend fire. Something that had to do with Katara, I think Sokka said."

"Yeah," the Avatar replied, his old-fashioned, lightened tone accompanying his reminiscent shrug. "An accident I never forgave myself for. But, in the end, it actually made me want to completely master fire so that I'd never hurt her or anyone else ever again with it."

"Very wise of you, Avatar Aang," Toph teased, bowing low to him. He hummed a laugh.

"Good to be out of the city?"

"Absolutely."

"Did you miss us?"

"I told you guys I did."

"But you never told us how much."

"It was enough, trust me."

He finished bending the fire and turned to face her fully, folding his legs and resting his head in his hand. "When I picked up Katara and Sokka they couldn't wait to see you again."

"That's how appealing I am."

"Especially Sokka," Aang chuckled. "He was very excited."

"Because I'm probably the only one naïve enough to actually listen to him?" she grumbled, rolling her eyes.

"No, actually." It was Katara. She came to join them near the fire, sitting behind Aang and leaning over his shoulder to talk to her. "He really started to miss you after the first couple of months. My brother's an idiot, but he can get emotional at times."

Somewhere in the distance Toph heard something heavy fall, Sokka yell 'ow' and then Katara hiss in sympathy while Aang tried to stifle a laugh.

"Well, you're right about the idiot part, at least," she replied.

"Aang," Katara was saying, "could you please help him?" The Avatar laughed and jumped to his feet.

"Oh, right. Teammates. I forgot…again." And he rushed off, still light on his feet. Katara sighed, exasperated.

"He's become a great captain of our tribe's navy, but my brother is still my brother, and some things never change."

"So I've noticed."

"Er…I actually wanted to talk to you about that."

"About what?"

"About my brother."

Toph shrugged. "Okay."

Katara hesitated.

"Lately he's been sullen. The anniversary of Yue's 'death' recently passed, and he's been thinking about her and Suki as well. It's made him a little moody of late."

"He's moody?" Toph snorted. "Geez, if this is his moody state then I don't want to know what his 'happy' is now."

"No, that's the thing: ever since we landed in Ba Sing Se he's gone back to normal. It's because of you, Toph. He forgets about Yue and Suki when he's with you."

"Oh great. I'm a bloody crutch."

Katara laughed. "Not at all. Well, all right, maybe."

"Still a wimp after all this time," the earthbender grumbled. "Of all his claims of being a hardened warrior he'll always be done in by a painted face."

"He's a softy under all that false armor."

"Exactly. Wimp."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Not all of us are as strong as you, Toph."

"Flattery is so becoming of you, Sugar Queen. You should keep it up." She stretched out her legs and stripped herself of her overcoat, tossing it along the log. The heat from the fire felt good on her bare shoulders. She tugged at the straps of her undershirt, contemplating. "Is he really still dwelling on all that?"

"Yeah." She sounded worried. A worried sister, as always. "He won't admit it, naturally, but he was always staying up late to look at the moon and he's been practicing his combat routines like a madman." There was a soft change of wind near Toph and it took her a moment to figure out that Katara was moving her arm, absently waterbending their drinking water in her contemplative state.

"You sound so concerned," Toph pointed out in her rare, serious tone. Katara only sighed.

"Yes, but a little annoyed as well. I don't like him like this. I'd almost prefer his bossy, sexist attitude to these silent, brooding episodes." There was a soft, hissing sound and then Toph could feel a cold sheet of watery mist breeze past her face. "I need your help."

"Like I haven't heard that before."

"I need you to talk to him for me."

"I already talk to him." She sighed. "And believe me, that is always a mistake on my part."

The waterbender laughed lowly.

"No, I need you to talk to him about Yue and Suki. He needs to, I know he does. He has that feeling about him, where he has a lot on his mind and he just needs to tell someone."

Toph had to keep from rolling her eyes. Touchy feely feelings weren't her forte. She knew her fair share of sadness and joy and sorrow and loneliness, but she rarely had to talk about it, and when she did it was very blunt, straightforward and to the point.

"Well, he's a big boy, Katara. If he needs to verbalize his dilemmas with someone he'll do it when he's ready."

"Do you really believe that?"

"No, but I'm just trying to get this conversation over with."

The older girl heaved a sigh. "You know he's a little too complex for his own good. He needs someone to be concerned enough about him to step forward and pry into his personal life, and he would never forgive me if I was ever that person."

"Because you're his sister--,"

"Because I'm his sister."

Toph stifled a knowing smile. The Water Tribe siblings were as close as can be and, in their closeness, they could get on each other's nerves like no other.

"And Aang's--,"

"Just not right for this sort of thing."

"That's what I thought. And so the task falls to aggressive and bitterly blunt Toph Be Fong, right?"

"Well." Katara rose to her feet and dusted off her clothes. "Your aggressiveness and bitterly blunt persona do make you the perfect candidate, but you're also one of the few people Sokka respects unconditionally."

"As should all the peasant folk," Toph exclaimed dramatically, slamming her fist down on the log and earning a genuine chuckle from her companion. She smiled and cocked her head to the side thoughtfully. "Does he really though? I know he's always had his weird issues with me being younger and yet so much more competent than him."

"Ever since we first saw you at Earth Rumble Six. Sure, he was devastated that you defeated The Boulder, but he admires your strength and ability for being such--,"

"A little, back-talking blind runt?"

Another laugh. "To put it in light terms." Katara reached down and tugged the earthbender to her bare feet. "So will you? Could you spare some time during our trip to play counselor for the whiny boy?"

Toph wrinkled her nose, bit her lip and tapped her heel as she thought, her rhythmic motion causing a small mound of earth to rise and fall, rise and fall.

"Geez, fine. I'll talk to him for you. It's the least I can do, right? I mean, he's been _such a big help_ with my personal life lately."

"Yeah, sorry about that. Just ignore him; I don't know why he's been pressing Jai on you."

"Whatever." Toph turned slightly towards Katara. "So, did you help me up for a reason or are we just going to stand here with bad posture and talk about boys?"

Katara grabbed her hand and tugged her along, heading for their campsite's earthen wall.

"You know I'd never demote myself to that sort of girlish activity…that's what Sokka's for." Toph could hear the smile in her voice. "No, I want you to help me pick apples from a tree I saw while we were flying."

The young girl rolled her eyes and threw up her free hand, her head falling back dramatically.

"What, do I have a sign on me that says I'm the ideal partner for gathering randomly sighted produce?!"

"Huh?"

"Nevermind. Lead the way."


	8. Chapter 8

"Toph, stop it! You're going to break it!"

"I will break it if you don't put it away."

"I'm not putting it away."

"Then--,"

"No, no wait!"

"I'm serious, Sokka. Put it away."

"No! I have as much a right to be out here as you."

"I was here first!"

"Toph, please, could you just…ah! Stop!"

"Until you can wield that thing without threatening my existence, I won't stop."

"I am a master with this weapon, you know."

"Could have fooled me. Last I recall you were ready to impale me on that thing."

"Your bending interfered with it. Maybe you're the one who still needs to master earthbending."

"…"

"Okay, I was joking. I was joking!"

"Put it away!"

"Toph!"

With a flick of her wrist Toph twisted the meteorite blade of Sokka's sword more, forcing it to curl awkwardly towards the ground and threatening its sturdy nature. Sokka grasped onto the handle with both hands, trying to tug his beloved weapon out of the clutches of Toph's power.

The gang had stopped in a little country town far from mainstream civilization and from the immediate influence of the Earth Kingdom capitol. Here, set into the mountainous regions of the south, the monarchy was less of a threat, hence the uprising rumors: rebels still hoping for a skirmish in the waning post-war nation.

The group had taken a stop at three different towns now, this most recent one being their third. On the previous ventures everyone had taken their turn in accompanying the Avatar via disguise and discretion to investigate the streets. Toph, because she had argued that she had been the most bored, went on the first day and then Sokka on the second. Now Aang was prowling the streets for information with Katara, leaving the other two to hold down the fort, or so to speak.

Now the friends were fighting. Toph, to blow off some steam, had gone away from the campsite to an even-ground clearing to train. Sokka, not exactly gaining the hint that she wanted to be alone, had decided that he wanted to get in some practice as well, and had joined her a few moments later.

Hence, the conflict.

"Will you get lost?" Toph practically growled. "Go train over with Appa if you have to."

"I can't. He's scared of the sword."

Toph sighed angrily and threw her hands up, releasing her hold on the black blade. Sokka stumbled backward as she pulled her bending away.

"Fine! Just stay on this side of the clearing and don't come near me with that thing!" She stomped away from him then, grumbling under her breath. She clapped her hands together loudly and pushed them downward, forcing up a three foot wall between their areas. Sokka, grimacing at her attitude, strode up to the makeshift border.

"What is your problem?" he demanded, slipping his sword into the sheath on his back. "You've been mumbling and grumbling nonstop lately and every time I come near you, you yell at me."

"You tend to do a lot of stupid things that legitimize my yells," Toph shot back over her shoulder. "And since Katara and Aang aren't around to give you a hard time, the task falls to me."

Sokka rested a foot on the wall and leaned against his knee. She couldn't see his pronounced frown and suspiciously narrowed eyes, but the tension was thick enough that she could probably guess at it. "That's not true. You're really angry with me. This is genuine, I'll-Find-Any-Reason-To-Fight-With-You kind of anger." Toph stopped walking away, her hands curled into fists at her sides.

"Well then, if that's the case, then you should know that I need a little time to myself," she hissed.

The truth was that she wasn't so much angry at him as she was utterly annoyed and pissed out of her mind with him. And, honestly, it was really Katara's fault.

Toph had talked to Sokka, like Katara had asked. It was the night before her day out with Aang, while they were gathered together eating their supper. She had expected to open the subject, let him vent out his long frustrations about Yue and Suki, and then be done with it. She would be his listening ear.

And, of course, the plan had not gone as, well, planned. But it had skewed in a way that Toph hadn't anticipated.

------------------------------------------

"Hey."

Sokka had looked up from his food then, frowning somewhat as Toph sat down next to him on the log. His eyes instantly took in the fact that Katara and Aang had made it a point not to be anywhere close by.

Toph leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Sokka rolled his eyes and set down his fork, reaching forward to tuck her hair behind her ears. She had left it down and, although it was thankfully much shorter than when she was younger, she still practiced little care when around opened fires.

"Seriously, you need to not do that."

"Sorry. I'm still not used to it." She kneaded her knuckles against her palms and kept her head bowed. The smell of wood smoke mixed with the distant, cold evening air. Pine surrounded them. They were well into the night. "Okay, so I have to talk to you."

She heard him swallow and imagined his confused expression.

"You _have_ to talk to me? Were you commanded to?" He laughed, low and unamused. Toph breathed heavily.

"I remember, a long time ago, you told me all about Yue. But after you lost Suki you never really talked about her again. It's kind of like you pretended she hadn't existed." She figured plunging right into the core of things would be best. Despite her naturally manipulative nature, sometimes Toph just liked to face things head on. She was an Earthbender after all.

Sokka, frowning, placed his plate down on the ground. "I thought you didn't like Suki," he said conversationally. He sounded normal, which she took as a good thing.

"I never said that," she defended. "She was the one who saved me from drowning in the Serpent's Pass so many years ago. Unlike some people."

"Don't bring that up again. I already told you, I was in the process of saving you. I just had to take my boots off first or else I'd get weighed down and drown too."

"And yet I do recall Suki jumping in completely clothed, and she wore much heavier things than you did--,"

"Okay, well, that was a long time ago. Over two years, in fact." He brought his rising tone back down. "Why are you asking about Suki now?"

"Well, you've been so avidly digging through the details of my personal life, so I thought I'd return the favor. You said that there hasn't been anyone lately, and I wonder if that's a coincidence." _Nice,_ she congratulated herself, turning her head to hide her smile. Where any of that had come from she had no idea, but it sounded pretty damn convincing to her. If he didn't bite to that segue then she didn't know what she'd do next.

Beside her, though, Sokka suddenly stood up and started walking away. Toph sat up straight, her pride instantly quelling down. Maybe she hadn't been as convincing as she thought.

"Sokka? Sokka?" He had gone inside his tent without a word, the flap wafting closed with a nonchalant grace. Toph just sat there in silence, worried that she had offended him and yet confused as to how she might have. She swung her legs over the log and placed them on the ground, still waiting.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Heavy footsteps. Okay, so he was coming back. Good.

"Why did you just leave without saying anything?" she demanded the minute he was standing in front of her. She narrowed her eyes and titled her head to the side. The weight of his walk was different. He was carrying something. "Why do you have your sword with you?"

"Because we're going for a walk and I feel much better if I have it on me."

Toph frowned. "We're going for a walk?"

"Yes."

"But it's night."

"And how does that matter to you?"

"Who decided this?"

She heard him breathe a laugh and then she was tugged to her feet.

"My sister, actually, when she told you to come talk to me."

"Katara didn't--,"

"I know her better than that," Sokka explained. "And I know she's been hovering around me ever since Yue's anniversary passed."

"So you _have_ been mopey and depressed then."

They started walking and Sokka shoved her. Like a knee-jerk reaction Toph shoved back, harder. He staggered a few feet off course before he regained his footing next to her.

"And you seriously need to not do that, either," he commented, rubbing his arm. "But no, I haven't been depressed. Did she say I was depressed?"

"Yes."

An exasperated sigh. "I find two minutes of silence on my own and suddenly I'm depressed?"

"Yes."

"That was rhetorical."

"Doesn't matter, because it's the truth. The minute you go quiet is when we all know something's wrong. Back when we were battling the Fire Nation, I used to panic every time you went suddenly quiet because you were always thinking or planning or brooding or piecing mysteries together or whatever."

"I can get tired too, you know." He was making a face. She could hear it in his voice.

"Yes, but when you get tired you get louder."

"No I don't."

"You want examples again? Okay, how about when we were stranded in the desert with nearly no water. I was tired and pissy, Aang was tired and pissy, even Katara and Momo were tired and pissy. But you?" She stopped walking and starting flailing her arms around, mimicking Sokka from years gone past. "Drink cactus juice! It'll quench ya! Who lit Toph on fire? Look, a giant mushroom. Maybe it's friendly!" She laughed boldly at the memory, clapping her hands and throwing her head back. Before her Sokka was absolutely silent.

"I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about."

Toph immediately stopped laughing.

"What?"

He was standing a little ways ahead of her, probably frowning. He shifted his weight and she got a 'glimpse' of his crossed arms and disapproving stance.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on. Don't tell me you don't remember." She strode forward and they continued their walk.

"Remember that I drank, what was it? Cactus juice? No."

She gasped, truly surprised. "You don't remember that? Any of that?!"

"No."

She was frozen in her slack-jawed expression for maybe a second more before she broke into laughter again. "Wow, that must have been some cactus juice."

"You were on fire?" he asked curiously. She shook her head 'no' and waved the memory aside, although she laughed to herself for about a minute or so longer. "Please, one day you'll have to remind me of all that."

"Oh, believe me, I will." But then she shook her head frantically and threw away her spontaneous amusement. Bad, bad Toph! This wasn't supposed to be a regular conversation between her and Sokka! This was supposed to be serious and in depth. He was supposed to talk and she was supposed to listen. "But I digress, horribly." _I'm stalling, that's what I'm doing. _

She took a deep breath.

Headfirst into the abyss.

"So what _has _been bothering you, if you're not specifically depressed? Something's changed; even I can tell that. And I know that it's the reason you've been pushing the Jai thing."

He didn't reply for the longest time. Their walk continued in a peaceful silence, the ground beneath her feet shifting from rocky earth to loose soil to soft grass. Finally, when the heat of the sun began to wane and warn her of the oncoming twilight, he spoke up.

"If I explain this to you then you'll have to hear me out," he said. "And I mean hear me out. It's going to be long and complicated."

"You've been thinking about this a lot, haven't you?" she offered. "Have you rehearsed the speech and everything?"

"Of course."

She blew at her bangs. "All right. Have at thee."

And yet it still took him about another three minutes to speak again.

"When Yue 'left' I was still stuck on her for so long. I mean, I had met Suki before, but Yue and I had more time together; enough time to actually get to know each other and show how much we liked each other. Plus there was so much of our culture and personalities that we had in common, you know? But I mean honestly, I would have coped better with her leaving if her father hadn't asked me to protect her. Those few words from him put me in a place that I never wanted to be in. I mean, watching her actually leave was hard enough. To know that I was betraying a responsibility was harder.

"And then Suki and I had a strong bond; she was one of my first teachers in combat. But all of our times together were so short. None of them ever lasted more than a few days, and every time she left it just…you know." He was rubbing his neck and his gait was lazy. "It was never good."

"Yeah," Toph breathed, remembering how her confidence had dropped when she had felt Appa take flight and her friends leave her in the Earth Kingdom. "I know the feeling."

"Loneliness."

She blinked. It had come so suddenly and unexpectedly that she wasn't even sure if he had said anything.

"Loneliness?" she repeated.

"Yeah." He blew out a grumble. "I just sort of thought about it one day. I was just by myself, relaxing on my own, away from the village, and I thought about the prospect of loneliness. And then I thought of you."

Toph felt a little part of her die inside.

"You thought about loneliness and then you associated that with me?" She felt a cold resentment well up. "How flattering."

"I warned you that you had to hear me out."

She waved a hand, dismissing her own sullenness. "Right. Continue." She heard his scabbard shift on his back.

"I thought of loneliness and then I remembered you telling me how you accepted the idea that you'd end up alone."

"Not idea, fact, Sokka--,"

"Hey, no interruptions."

"Sorry."

"And you know, I'm not an idiot. I've noticed that all the girls I ever come in close contact with tend to just evaporate from my life. It's downright morbid."

Toph shrugged, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "You're just a romantic about the whole idea of what a girl is to a boy, and I don't say that as a compliment either."

"Well, thanks," he grumbled. "But even so, I guess…." A sigh. A heavy sigh. "No one wants to be lonely. I don't care who you are. You could be a sad romantic, like myself, or even the world's greatest Earthbender, like you. You could have been alone all your life or else just discover that you're standing on your own, but in both cases you still won't like it. And it was that thought that just hasn't left me yet.

"I lost a lot of people in the war, and it's not just me. So many others have lost their families. Aang had lost his entire culture. Those were things we depended on, things we were sure were always going to be there. And then they weren't. What can we count on to stay? How can we be sure we'll never be lonely?"

He didn't sound sad. That was the part that kept Toph speechless. He didn't sound in the least bit sad. He sounded thoughtful and wondering, and that made it much more real.

"You know, my Gran Gran said something once, a long time ago. She was singing a song around the campfire and she said something about the face someone wears when they're waiting at the window. She explained to me that it's the loneliest face you'll ever see: someone waiting for people that will never come. But when I got older I thought, wouldn't it be worse if you were the person coming back to the window and seeing no one there? Instead of having the hope that someone might come by, you have the full knowledge of realizing that you're coming back to nothing. There's little hope when you already know."

He had stopped walking now and she knew he was looking up at the moon and, of course, seeing Yue there.

"None of this has anything to do with her or Suki," he added, as if reading her thoughts. "It's just that the anniversary got me thinking, is all."

Toph felt like a moron. Here she was, the one who was supposed to help Sokka through his 'hard' time, and yet she was probably more affected than him. All his talk of loneliness was making her depressed.

A chill ran up her spine and she shivered. How often had she contemplated that exact concept? How many times had she argued with her own fate, knowing that to have a blind wife would be anyone's last choice, trying to be okay with that and yet still hating the idea? How often had she been struck with the idea of loneliness?

And then here comes Sokka, gone for two years and then striding back into her life, spouting out his thoughts as if he had taken them from her own head. It was almost creepy. It was almost strange.

Headfirst into the abyss. She didn't know the darkness would be familiar.

She coughed into her hand to hide her discomfort and rocked back on her heels.

"Oh, is _that_ all," she said, vying for sarcasm. He laughed a little.

"Too much?"

"Just a little." She reached out to poke him in the shoulder. "You think too hard."

"You guys used to give me flak for not thinking at all." He flinched at her poke and then, probably unconsciously, he reached up and grabbed her hand, holding it tightly in his.

It hadn't been the first time he had done it. Not but a few afternoons ago they had been running through the castle gardens, hand in hand. And Toph was no stranger to his touch. But it was different now. He had exposed too much of himself and, in the process, had brought out a familiar understanding on Toph's part alongside a vulnerability she wasn't used to.

Toph tentatively pulled her hand out of his grasp and folded her arms across her chest. She bowed her head and let her fringe hide her flushing face as a mixture of embarrassment and anxiety claimed her.

Damn.

She had thought she had gotten over her childhood crush on Sokka, but apparently it still dwelled in her adolescent mind. When she was battling the Fire Nation her crush has been in full swing, nearing to the point where she'd miss him terribly if he were gone from her side for more than a day. She had punched him and teased him and mocked him, just as all young girls did to the boys they liked. And whenever the gang had broken ranks and partnered up, she would be ecstatic when Sokka would automatically side with her.

But time wore on and her crush had begun to diminish into a simmer. It wasn't that they had gotten less familiar; it was the exact opposite. They had become so close that it seemed they reached beyond that point of the relationship and on to becoming real best friends. And then, when he had left, she had been sad not because she was losing a romantic interest, but because she was losing the closest friend she ever had.

Toph had assumed that the secret admiration she held for Sokka had played itself out.

Clearly not.

"So does that satisfy you?"

Toph blinked again, surprised. "What?"

"Is that enough information to satisfy you and my sister's curiosity and concern?"

"Oh, er yeah. Sure." She turned around then and started heading back for the camp. Sokka go the hint and followed, oblivious to her nerves. The sooner they weren't alone, the better for her.

"I didn't want you to be lonely," he said suddenly, breaking the silence. "That's why I've been pushing the Jai thing. Sorry."

"Yeah, that's okay," she replied absently. At the moment, she really couldn't care less, because Jai wasn't the boy she was worried about.

------------------------------

"You've been touchy ever since our talk."

"Shut up, Sokka."

"Hey, don't get snappy about it now. You were the one who asked me to tell you what was wrong--."

"I told you to leave me alone."

"I honestly don't understand why you're mad."

"If you don't go away right now, I swear I will take this bracelet, morph it into a lock and clamp it on your mouth."

"You'd take the gift I gave you and abuse me with it?"

There was a thud. He had hopped over the fence.

"Get back on your side."

"I don't have the plague."

"You're a plague all your own."

There was a pause. "Why are you blushing--."

"I'm not."

"Yeah, you are."

"I'm angry."

"You're blushing." Another pause. "You're hiding something from me." He was smiling, she could hear it. A broad, suspicious smile. Toph felt her annoyance rise.

"Back it up, Snoozles. You're getting invasive."

"What happened when you went into town with Aang?"

"Nothing."

"Something did. You've been acting weird since then. What are you hiding?"

"I'm not--."

"Toph."

"Sokka, if you don't back off I will hurt you. And not 'oh, look, Toph and Sokka are at it again' hurt you, I mean 'Blind Bandit in Earth Rumble Six' hurt you."

"You wouldn't really hurt me."

"Do you want to test that theory?"

"What happened, Toph? Did you meet a boy?"

"Why are you always asking if I met a boy?!"

"You only ever get embarrassed when boys are mentioned."

"I'm not embarrassed."

"You're blush--,"

"I'm not blushing!"

"Toph…"

"Sokka!"

"Did something happen with Aang?"

"…"

"Ow ow ow OW OW OW OW!!!! I'M SORRY! I'LL STOP! I'LL STOP!!"


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Sorry about the wait. Tough times. But I'll try to get an update up here again soon, and that goes for all my stories. Thank you to my readers for sticking by my stories, it means a lot.

Aang and Katara ran up the hill path, reaching for each other every now and then to catch their balance. The last aftershock was still rumbling through the ground, dislodging a few boulders along the shallow cliff sides.

"Is it Toph?"

"It has to be. The townspeople said they've never had an earthquake here."

"Look, there's your brother!"

The two jogged up to the camp to find Sokka sitting on a log near the burnt out fire pit, his elbows on his knees and an expression of complacent grumpiness etched onto his face. He seemed completely oblivious to the havoc surrounding him, skillfully tuning out Appa's rampaging discomfort, Momo's shrieking frenzy and Hawky's flying fiasco.

"Sokka," Katara called, skidding to a halt in front of him. "What is going on? Why are--." She frowned at him and then gasped, dropping to her knees in front of his glazed gaze. "Is that a black eye?!"

"You have a black eye?" Aang repeated, coming to stand behind Katara. Sokka finally seemed to snap out of his stupor and glared up at the Avatar, his attempt at a narrow-eyed annoyance skewed by his swollen face.

"Yes. Yes it is. And do you know why I have a black eye?" A sound like a great landslide echoed towards them and the ground shook violently again. Katara reeled back on her heels but Aang caught her. Sokka didn't oblige any of it. "Does anyone here care to take a guess as to how I received a throbbing, painful bruise around an essential tool for my sight?"

"How did you get a black eye?" Aang asked absently, helping Katara to her feet. Sokka threw up his hands.

"I don't know! I really don't," he cried. "She just started yelling at me and then getting pissed off because I was 'invading her space' and then the wall went up and I didn't even do anything when she started twisting my sword, and I tried to be a good friend and ask her what was wrong but then she just starts shouting at me and it's weird because a few days ago she was asking me about Suki and Yue and she seemed like she cared but now she doesn't! And then I sat on the wall and we were talking about something and then I said something, or not, or…I don't even know anymore, but in the end she just started picking up rocls—didn't even bend them, she picked them up in her hands—and chucked them at me! Eight rocks. Eight!" He dropped his animated arms and growled, slipping down off the log so that he was sitting on the ground. Aang looked at Katara.

"Yeah, I didn't understand a word of that."

"Sadly, neither did I. Did he say that all in one breath?"

"I think he did."

"Guys!" Sokka beseeched them, his whine desperate. "Look at me, I can hardly see a thing! Katara, do something!"

"All right, all right. Hold still." With a roll of her eyes she drew out her element and went to work on her brother's eye, running the cool liquid over the swollen area. "Feel better, Mr. Big Strong Warrior?" she drawled. He sighed.

"Yes. That's much better."

"So is that her now?" Aang asked again, looking around, trying to discern where the commotion was coming from.

"Yeah. She's tearing up all kinds of hell over in that clearing."

"She's scaring the villagers," Katara said, finishing up her work. "They think the world's coming to an end."

"It just might be," Aang replied, bending down and placing a palm on the rocky earth. "She's pulling out massive chunks of rock from the center of the hill. Any deeper and this entire area could collapse in on itself."

"Someone needs to go talk her down," Katara offered, returning her water back to her pack and touching her brother's face gingerly. "How does that feel?"

"Better, but don't touch it!"

"I'll go. She might not listen to me, but at least I can counter any Earthbending damage she does."

"Why don't you both go?" Sokka grumbled offhandedly, but Katara shook her head.

"No, it would seem like we're ganging up on her. Besides, I can talk to her later on, when she's calmed down; and Aang's right. My bending isn't much help in opposing hers."

"I'll be back. Take care of Appa and Momo for me?"

"Hey, before she injured me with the ambush I asked her if something happened between the two of you in town the other day," Sokka said, watching Aang carefully. "That was when she couldn't take it anymore. Did something happen between you two?"

The Avatar shrugged. "Er, no. Not that I remember. It was a boring day."

"Are you sure nothing happened?"

"If Aang says nothing happened then nothing happened," Katara groaned. "Stop prying and let him go talk to her." But, of course, he didn't listen.

"Seriously, are you absolutely sure?"

Aang thought deeply for a moment, taking an authentic minute to consider his memory. Finally he shook his head. "I'm sure, really. I have no idea what could be upsetting her this much."

Sokka frowned and slumped back against the log, sighing dramatically. "All right. If you say so."

"Hurry, Aang," Katara called after him. He nodded.

"I will, don't worry. I mean, it's just Toph, right?"

----------------------------

And that was exactly the problem. When Aang found her she was in the midst of a war torn clearing, deep crevices and boulders littering the space around her. She was deep in a massive crater, crouched low in her fighting stance and breaking earth left and right, her moves seamless and coming rapidly.

"Toph! Toph, hey!" Aang wobbled on his feet. "Toph!" She raised a boulder high in the air and then slammed her foot down, exploding it into fine sand. "Hey, you've gotten better at handling smaller earth fragments."

"Go away." She brought her arms down in a swooping motion, encasing herself in a hovering cocoon of sand. Aang rolled his eyes and sucked in a huge breath, blowing her cocoon away to reveal the tiny Earthbender. Toph flinched against the gust, the wind fueling her frustration. "Hey!"

"You're angry, you're annoyed, you're pissed; I get that. All right?" He slid down the side of the crater and right beside her. "But the Toph I know wouldn't pointlessly tear down a hillside just to satisfy her anger."

"Well, you obviously don't know her after all these years. Things change." She curled her hands into fists and turned away.

"Toph."

"I'm sorry, Toph's not here right now. Please leave your name and reason for getting in her way, and she'll make sure to ignore you."

"Very funny."

"I know, right? I'm a regular comedienne."

Aang sighed. "Okay, whatever. But you need to stop this rampage. You're scaring the townspeople and you're going to take this entire highland down on them."

She spun on her heel at that, her eyes blazing at his chest as she jabbed a finger into his shoulder. "Who do you think you're talking to, Twinkletoes? You may be the Avatar, but if I remember correctly it was I who was your Sifu. Do you think I don't know the earth well enough? Am I such a novice to bending that I didn't seek out the major pressure points in this hillside and refortify the keystone pillars before attempting to bend the earth around them? Do you think I'm so oblivious that I wouldn't personally control the shockwaves so that they wouldn't reach any unstable formations within a three mile radius?"

Aang winced and touched his bruised shoulder. "Oh. Well, no, I guess--,"

"All right then, problems solved, yeah? Good bye!" She started to leave the crater but Aang took hold of her arm and pulled her back. Her skin was burning, as if she had a fever, and he could feel her pulse pounding intensively in her wrist.

"Okay, I was wrong. You're really, _really_ angry."

She breathed in deeply but didn't turn around, tugging her sweltering arm from his fingers. "Okay, I'll try exercising patience and restraint for two seconds, but not a moment more. Trust me, you're getting a deal on this by being the Avatar."

_I'll get to the point then_, Aang thought. He considered her for a moment. "You've never hurt Sokka before," he said. "Well, you've hurt him, but it was always friendly. He never kept a mark. Why the black eye?"

"Oh, so I really did give him a black eye then?" she asked, half turning to him. Aang leaned forward. Did she sound remorseful?

"Yeah. A huge one. It's pretty bad."

"Cool. Wish I could see _that_."

Aang sighed and let her go, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration. Toph smiled sardonically and stomped out of the crater.

"You know, talking is never a bad thing, Toph. You used to talk to all of us, at one point."

"Like I said, things change. Talking has been banned from my nature." She climbed over the edge and onto level ground. "And I am certainly not going to start with you," she grumbled, but Aang heard.

"Not me? That's unfair," he replied, half-jokingly. "What about Katara?"

"No. Go away."

"Ah well, I guess Sokka's out of the picture as a possible choice." He didn't see her look sharply away. "Maybe we could head to the Fire Nation and impose on Zuko? Or maybe we should fly East and meet Haru? Or maybe North, where Teo is? None of them either?"

With a growl Toph simply dropped onto the ground, collapsing so ungracefully that a puff of dust blew up around her. "You're not being funny, just annoying!"

She was still pissed, but she had refrained from bending, so he was at least getting somewhere. And now she had stopped walking, so his gentle pestering was working.

With a lift of his foot he had glided over her head and landed quietly in front of her, legs crossed and hands folded neatly in his lap. She felt him land and blew impatiently at her bangs. Aang laughed quietly to himself.

"You know, you're the same Toph, and yet you're not the same Toph I knew from before."

"Yeah, thanks, that's wonderful," she quipped, leaning back on her hands. "So what do I have to do to get you off my back, hm? Apologize to Snoozles? Put everything back the way it was?"

"All you have to do is tell me what's wrong. It's obviously something big, because I've never seen you bend like this before. Not unless it was a fight."

Toph tugged off her headband and threw her hair over her face, shaking it and fiddling with it in a way that plainly said she was not paying attention. "Just a little extra pent up energy; you know, from being locked in meetings all day," she answered vaguely.

"No, I don't think so. Knowing your relationship, I know it would take a lot more than just a little teasing and some pent up energy for Sokka to make you act like this."

She flipped her hair back and stared right at him with guileless eyes. "What do you mean by 'relationship'?" she practically hissed. Aang frowned at her.

"I mean your friendship. You know you're his best friend, right?"

She hesitated. "Yeah. I meant…well, yeah. Yeah."

Aang noticed that one.

"He asked me what happened between us in town the other day," he said plainly. "Which I really didn't understand. Why would he ask that?"

Toph bit her lip and shrugged, trying for a nonchalance that wasn't exactly convincing. "I don't know. Do any of us know why he says the things that he says?"

"Nothing happened. At all," Aang went on, tapping his chin. "We didn't even find any information on anything that day, so what does he think could have happened?"

"He doesn't really think anything happened, Aang," Toph snapped.

"But he asked me. He said that it was the last thing he asked you before you hit him."

Toph shook her head and flopped backward, her arms outstretched on either side. "Geez, if he isn't the stupidest smart person I have ever known," she moaned, covering her face with her hands. She shook her head. Aang was intrigued.

"So…that's not why you're upset?"

"Of course it's not. Like you said, nothing happened for me to be upset about! We sat in a tea shop all day and I almost fell asleep while you made paper cranes with that random kid, or something." She passed a hand over her brow. "It was just the last thing he asked before I lost it. The last question isn't significant at all."

"So…that brings me back to my original question," he repeated, growing slightly impatient himself. "Why are you so angry."

"You're not going to leave me alone, are you--,"

"No."

She groaned again. Aang felt the subtle air of an answer approaching and waited silently. She whistled through her teeth. She tapped a heel into the ground. She fiddled with a loose pebble in her left hand. She was stalling. "Toph."

"All right." She sat up quickly, almost creepily. "I'll…I'll tell you. I'll tell you. But you have to swear on Appa's ability to fly that you won't tell a single soul."

"Oh, wow."

"Swear to it, Aang. Make an Avatar promise, or whatever oath it is that you do."

"Is it really that big?"

Her shoulders slumped. "If anyone else found out it would ruin me forever."

He whistled in disbelief. "All right. As the Avatar I promise not to breathe a word."

"I mean it. The moment you spill the beans I will take you down and become Avatar in your place, I'm not kidding."

He couldn't help but laugh heartily at that, despite the fearful menace in her voice. It was made only morbidly funnier because he believed that she could and would do such a thing. "I already made my official promise. Just tell me."

And it was still three minutes before she said anything.

"I twinkle light zock-ah."

He frowned. "Huh?"

"I sink alikes soka."

"I can't understand you, Toph."

"IthinkIlikeSokka."

"You need to say it slower--,"

"I think I like Sokka, okay?!" she practically bellowed. "I think I like him more than just a best friend. Way more than just a best friend! I think I have a stupid, idiotic, moronic, illogical crush!" She pounded a fist into the ground and the earth they were sitting on receded downward one foot. Aang almost lost his balance and braced himself. "Could you open your ears for two seconds? Didn't I teach you anything about listening?"

Aang blinked at her. "That's why you're so upset? That's what's bothering you?"

She had changed her demeanor now, her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms hugging them close.

"Yes."

In retrospect maybe laughing wasn't the best response Aang could have given, but for someone who had been anticipating something far more dangerous, it was more of a relief. But Toph physically boiled over, launching forward and grabbing him by the collar of his robe. "All right, that's it! Bei Fong is the new Avatar!"

"Wait, wait! I'm sorry, sorry. Really, I am. I didn't mean to laugh, it's just…that was my initial reaction, and I didn't mean it. Sorry Toph, honestly. I'm very sorry."

"You're still smiling, I can hear it in your voice."

"Well, yeah." With a gentle hand he took hold of her wrists and tugged himself free. "Here I am thinking that what you're going to tell me is something practically lethal, and then you tell me that."

"Fine, whatever. This was a mistake." She pushed back and rose to her feet, stalking away again. Aang pursued her.

"I'm sorry, Sifu Toph, but if I recall a certain conversation during a night ride on Appa, liking someone isn't a big deal at all. Or, you know, so you pointed out to me. One just has to come to terms with it and face it, right?"

"That's different," she replied. "That's you."

"And how does that make a difference?"

"If I have to explain it to you then you're blinder than I will ever be."

He sidestepped her short strides and blocked her way, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Really, Toph, but is it worth all of this? You're tearing a hillside down."

He actually expected her to snap or yell at him again, but she didn't. There was only a sigh. "I hate when things get complicated."

He grinned down at her. "This is complicated?"

"I'm a complicated person, what can I say."

He rolled his eyes and let her go, his grin widening when she didn't turn away. "So…are you going to tell me the whole complicated story or are you going to be mysteriously complicated and not tell me anything."

"I plead the latter." She scuffed her heel against the ground, crossing her arms and bowing her head away from him. Aang's grin fell away and he rubbed his arrow, slightly confused.

"Why don't you just tell him?"

Her eyes stared at the ground but her face twisted into a horrible display of thoughtful sadness. He was taken aback. "Aang, I'd lose my best friend over something like this."

He probably would have said something in response but, instead, kept his silence. He had never heard Toph sound so fearful of a possibility. She was terrified of losing Sokka as a friend.

She shook her head at her folded arms. "I can lie, Aang. You all know I'm a pretty good liar when the time calls for it. But then everyone also knows that when it comes to feelings I try so hard to cover them up that I end up exposing them instead. I could never lie about my feelings to Katara; she always knows what's really happening. And if she can figure it out then Sokka can and that…." She sighed. "That would just ruin everything."

Aang took a step towards her, his tone quiet. "Do you think he'd—hate you, or something?" She let out a hollow 'hah' at that.

"I know him well enough to know he won't hate me, but he'll feel uncomfortable and embarrassed. He'll get self-conscious and then he'll try to find a way to let me down easy and then…then he'd never tell me about a boring three month ship ride, or make fun of dignitaries at the parties, or invite me to take a walk, or let me punch him in the arm. All of that would be too awkward."

"But Toph, if you like him as much as this battle-scarred hilltop says you do, then you can't just bottle it up and never say anything."

"Yeah, I can. I want to."

"But what if he doesn't turn you down?"

"You don't have to sugar-coat anything, Aang. I know the exact sort of girl Sokka wants."

"You don't think it's you?"

"That's not the point."

"Because…wait, it's not?"

"No."

He stopped talking then, thrown off. He had been on the verge of giving a very convincing and very truthful spiel about how Toph was probably the most ideal girl for Sokka: she was strong and independent and very capable of protecting him, which he direly needed, she could be poised and was socially educated, which he wasn't, and she could tolerate and match his iconic humor, sarcasm and pessimism, which Aang knew no one else could do.

But, apparently, those things weren't the things Toph was concerned about.

"But…why--,"

"Oh, okay, let me catch you up, Aang," she cooed dramatically, touching his arm in the way adults do when kids are acting purposefully oblivious. "I'm not trying to play the 'helpless damsel' card, okay? Those stupid boys in Ba Sing Se only get on my nerves because they're simple-minded and they don't know me. I'm not self-conscious about my blindness, I think I look absolutely stunning in any light, without the globs of face paint, and I'm pretty sure the only sense of 'responsibility' anyone has to agree to when dealing with me is the responsibility of keeping up."

"Oh, okay." He felt himself inwardly smile at that. He had been afraid Toph was growing insecure about herself, especially in the matters of love and attraction. He was glad he was wrong.

"But I'm the best friend," she continued. "I'm the one he goes to when he wants to talk about the girls that he likes. And the funny thing is that I'm not even really jealous about it. I want him to be able to talk to me. I like that he knows I can beat him up and that it's okay if he makes fun of my sight, or lack thereof, or whatever. I like it when he burps without excusing himself, or makes stupid comments in front of important people. And then I think of how he is with the girls that he's attracted to and I have to keep myself from throwing up at how boring he becomes around them." She ran a hand through her hair, exposing her eyes. "Some people take the risk of trying to be the 'more than just'. I definitely prefer to be the 'best friend'. Even if there was a chance, I wouldn't take it."

She said everything in an even, truthful tone. Aang stared. She wasn't lying, she wasn't trying to put on an act. What she had said was exactly what she felt.

"But…but you said you liked him."

"I do."

"Well then…why would you settle--,"

"I'm not settling."

"But you just said--,"

"I have a very big crush on him," she said, lowering her voice minutely and blushing only slightly when she said so. "But there's a big difference between liking him as a 'suitor' and loving him as a best friend. Which trumps what, Aang: like trumps love or love trumps like?"

He blinked, mouth slightly agape, startled with this new revelation and outlook. "Oh, I…love trumps like," he said. She nodded solemnly.

"Exactly."

He nodded slowly and she didn't see, only lowered her head again. He sighed deeply and looked behind her, towards the massacred landscape.

Now he understood. With that much conflict going on inside of her it was a wonder that the hillside didn't look worse.


	10. Chapter 10

"You think she's calmed down?" Sokka asked, sprawled on the ground with Momo hopping on his chest. Katara glanced over from the fire pit where she was working on their dinner.

"The aftershocks have stopped," she offered, casting her glance upwards. "So I'd say yes."

"Well then, where are they? Shouldn't they come back?"

"They'll get back when they get back. Quit whining."

"I'm not whining."

"You are."

"Katara, my eye's still sore."

She blew out an exasperated sigh. "Stop touching it then."

"But it tingles."

"I told you it would."

"Does it still look bad?"

"No, Sokka! It's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"I don't look weird?"

"You've always looked weird," she mumbled under her breath, rolling her eyes. Sokka groaned.

"I don't look like Zuko, do I?"

"For the love of--!"

"Where are they?"

With a deep-seeded growl Katara shot to her feet and stomped over to her brother, looming over him with her hands planted firmly on her hips. He squinted up at her, wrinkling his nose. "What?" he asked.

"Do you want to talk about something?" she asked. He frowned at her.

"Why would you say that?"

"You're not shutting up."

"I'm just asking--,"

"Exactly; you're not shutting up. So what do you want to talk about?" She leaned into one leg but didn't sit down, which Sokka knew meant she wanted him to say his piece and be done with it. Now wasn't the time for a bonding, heart to heart between big brother and baby sister.

"I'm worried about Toph," he finally admitted, and then made a face up at Katara. "Happy?"

But she didn't throw him a snide remark, only blew out a breath and shook her head. "Yeah, I am too, actually." She cast a look in the direction Aang had run off towards. "She's barely said two words to me for three days and she's been quiet. No laughing, no jokes, nothing." A shiver traveled up her spine and she shook it away.

"Do you think she's mad at me?" Sokka asked. She nodded without hesitation.

"Yeah."

He sat up abruptly and stared up at her. "Really?"

"Of course! You did something stupid."

"How do you know?"

"I don't know for certain," she said, striding away from him and returning to her work. "But you usually do."

"That's a sister's bias," he mumbled, scrambling to his feet and following after her. "Seriously though, do you think I did something horrible to make her angry?"

Katara turned to look at him, her gaze scrutinizing. "She's complicated," Katara finally said, speaking truthfully. "I mean, we all are, but this is Toph, you know?" She shrugged. "She's lived a different life from you and me, so I have no idea what could be going on in her head."

"She sees things for what they are, plain and simple," Sokka said, partially retaliating with his own knowledge of Toph. "She's less complex then us in that way. No second skin, just bare bone."

Katara nodded knowingly. "That's exactly what I mean; complicated."

Sokka rubbed his forehead. "Yeah, you're right."

--

"Are you okay going back now?"

"Yeah."

"Are you going to talk to him?"

"Probably, yeah."

"Aren't you nervous?"

"A little bit, yeah."

Aang eyed her as they wove their way through the scarred hillside. "You don't seem nervous."

"I'm just that amazing," she replied distractedly. He grinned.

"Sure."

As they reached the edge of the campsite they ran into Katara. She was carrying one of their large, clay pots and heading towards the river.

"Hey, you're back!"

As they came level with her Aang immediately stepped forward and relieved her of her weight, taking it into his arms without hesitation. "I can go fill this for you," he said. Katara smiled at him.

"You sure?"

"Positive." He tried to shoot Katara a subtle gesture then, eyeing the back of Toph's head and then nodding purposefully to the waterbender, but subtleties were the very essence of the ambassador's existence and she could feel the slight wind disturbance from his head nods and the shift his weight as he pointed to her.

"Go, Avatar. I get the hint: let Katara take care of me now."

Aang winced. "Oh. Uh, well…okay." And, because he knew he couldn't say anything to redeem himself, he went on about his business.

"That wasn't a smooth transition," Katara offered. Toph just shrugged.

"It wasn't, but when has anything ever gone smoothly with any of us?" It was a hidden reference that only the earthbender was aware of. Katara reached out and looped an arm around the girl's shoulders, her frame, even after all this time, so small in comparison.

"You don't have to explain anything to me if you don't want to," she started to say, "but I do want you to tell me if you're okay or not."

"I know. Sorry."

"Don't be." They started walking back to their camping ground, still linked. "You know, we haven't had any real time to talk and catch up, other than our spa day in Ba Sing Se. Thanks for that, by the way."

"No problem."

"Oddly enough, we've actually been busy on this trip."

"Everyone wants a piece of us. You can't deny our fans what they want." Katara laughed. "But I agree. I think I do need to talk to you." She actually considered finding counsel in Katara over her certain 'problem', but decided that she would keep the bigger details out of the discussion; details like names, for instance. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"It's about Aang."

"Oh." It wasn't a nervous 'no' or a cautious 'no'. It was the kind of 'no' that came with a smile and a smirk and few secrets hidden in between. Toph raised an eyebrow.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know. What are you asking?" She was grinning, it was all over her voice.

"Ah…are you--," she hesitated. "I was wondering how things were going. With him, and with you, and with all this air in between," she said, waving her hands around helplessly. Was that how someone was supposed to ask? She didn't know. She'd never had to ask before.

"Are you asking what I think you're asking?"

"Can you even understand what I'm trying to say? Because I can't." Katara laughed and then she laughed. Genuinely laughed. That was surprising.

"Yes, I know what you're asking."

"Okay."

"And my answer is that I love Aang," came the immediate reply. Toph felt herself smile, surprised yet pleasantly so, as Katara went on laughing. "Everyone knows I love him."

"Well, yeah."

"The thing is, I don't know what that means right now."

"Ah." Toph wanted to say that she understood that thought on a level that might have even surprised the girl, but she didn't. Katara just sighed.

"Ask me about it sometime; I've got loads to tell you."

"Hmm. Wait, sometime?"

"Sometime."

"Not, now-time?"

"Right now I think a different Water Tribe sibling needs your attention."

Of course. Damnit. "Ah."

Katara gave her a quick hug and then stepped away. They were next to Appa and, judging from the impatient vibrations coming from the fire, Sokka was only a few yards away, waiting for his turn to be acknowledged.

Toph considered letting the earth swallow her whole. She could do it, too, if she ever wanted.

"I'll leave you two alone." The older girl squeezed her shoulder and wandered off, picking up Momo as she went. Toph tugged on her hair.

"Yeah, thanks." With a hearty breath she strode forward, trying to arrange her expression into something that could be conceived as normal. She came level with Sokka and lifted her chin, showing off how normal she was attempting to be. She wondered if she was succeeding.

"All right, go."

She stopped in her tracks and frowned. "What? Go where?"

"Go ahead and apologize. I'm waiting."

She crossed her arms and frowned in his general direction. She could 'see' him lounging there, legs stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles, with his one foot jiggling incessantly to portray his impatience. Toph raised an eyebrow.

"Are you serious?"

His foot stopped. "What kind of question is that?" he asked blandly. She shrugged, ignoring his frustration.

"A legitimate one. Do you want me to apologize sincerely or do you just want the words to be said, regardless of its delivery?" She couldn't help it. She couldn't help the sarcasm. It was just there.

There was a pause, probably because his mouth might have been hanging open. "What are you doing?" he demanded. "Why are you doing that right now? This is not a time to be sarcastic, and I know the exact times to be sarcastic."

She had to stop herself from smiling lest he find even more offense in her attitude. It was just so rare to hear Sokka be truly angry, and even rarer to have that anger directed completely towards her.

"Okay, fine." She raised her hands in surrender and settled down on the log opposite him. "Sorry, sorry--,"

"You don't mean that," he interrupted. "You're almost laughing."

"Oh, so the delivery counts?"

"Toph." He was on the verge of blowing a fuse, she could tell. "Do you understand what you did to me?" he asked, overly slowly. She heaved an equally over-dramatic sigh.

"Um, I hit you with a rock? Is that such a big deal all of a sudden?"

He did blow up at that.

"Of course it is!" he screamed, jumping to his feet. "The intention to inflict lasting pain is a very big deal! Look at my eye!" She just sat there and then he swore under his breath. "Oh…damn it! This is—ugh…"

She shook her head. "You are such an idiot." He started pacing.

"What has been wrong with you lately? This isn't cool."

"Did you really just say 'this isn't cool'?" she laughed, but when that didn't get the reaction she was looking for she rubbed at her forehead in her own frustration. "Is it really that bad, Sokka? I mean, is it really _that_ bad?"

He let out a throaty growl. "You know what, it is! And I'm not just complaining about the pain—it's throbbing, by the way—but about the other stuff too."

"What other stuff?"

"The other stuff, as in _why_ you did this in the first place. It's one thing that I have a shiner, but its another thing that it came from you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You don't do things like this unless you have a reason, Toph. You, the great earthbender who waits and then reacts, doesn't just clock a guy in the face with a rock for no initial reason."

A twinge of apprehension sounded its chord, but Toph kept her face passive. "So I have to have a reason to hit you now? When was that a prerequisite? Katara doesn't need a reason."

Sokka continued to pace for a few moments before he stopped and faced her, arms crossed and foot tapping. When they were younger this was the stance he would use for all of his crazy alias when they were trying to pull scams or pranks. Despite herself, Toph was drawn into her memories. "This whole thing," he started, "has nothing to do with Aang, right?"

"Huh? When did we start talking about Aang?"

"When you two went into the village--,"

"We were bored out of our minds."

"So this has nothing to do with--,"

"Aang has his own things to worry about. Leave him alone."

"Well, okay." He breathed deeply. "Then this does have to do with our talk. Great." He gratefully plopped back down on his log as Toph's pulse suddenly shifted to booming.

"Why do you assume that?" she grumbled. "You know what they say about people who assume."

"Yeah, they tend to be right." He let out a light and unfeeling chuckle. "I started to think about it and I might know what's wrong."

"No, you don't," she said playfully, but she was silently dreading the worst.

"I might though, and I'm sorry."

"For what?"

He had picked up a stick and was poking at the ashes of the fire pit. It was distracting, not only by the scraping sounds that it made but because of the scratchy vibrations it sent up Toph's feet. She lifted them off the ground and folded them beneath her. "For saying you were lonely."

"Um…" For ten crucial seconds Toph racked her brain, pushing aside the dread she felt at having her secret found out and trying to remember a time when he had called her lonely. _Oh,_ she realized, accurately recalling the moment and the words. _Ha, I remember that_. "Yeah, that was a little much," she said out loud. She hoped he would overlook those ten awkward seconds of silence, and he did.

"But you understood what I meant by it, right? I didn't say it to--,"

"No, I know. You explained yourself before, please don't do it again." _Please_, she inwardly pleaded.

"Well, I'm sorry for that. Oddly enough, you've never seemed like a lonely person, just someone who was alone, by happenstance."

She shrugged and nodded. She hadn't actually been offended by anything, but she was in no position to correct him. So she said, "okay." He nodded.

"So, I apologize."

"Yeah, you said that already."

"No hard feelings?"

"No! Drop it, Sokka."

A pause stretched out.

"_That's not it?_"

She jumped at the exasperation in his tone. "What? What's not it?"

Sokka just growled and tugged at his hair. "That's not what's wrong, is it?"

"Huh? Sorry, I wasn't paying attention…."

"Toph!"

"What?! Sokka, I really am sorry, okay?" she blurted, throwing up her hands in surrender, trying to smile to hide her unease. "I know I've been…well, odd lately, and short-tempered, so I'm sorry. But really, nothing's wrong--,"

"Something's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong!" She laughed sardonically, jumped forward and knelt down before him, reaching out to hold his hands, like he had always done with her. Ironically the physical contact didn't affect her like his words did; this was normal between them. "I'm fine and everything's fine. I've been— I've been a little on edge, you know? It's been awhile since I've been out adventuring and, well, I'm trying to get used to it, is all." She smiled and squeezed his fingers affectionately, like he had done to her, or like Katara had done to her, or like Aang had done to her. She realized then that she'd never had the instinct to comfort a person; she was the sort who had to learn it from somewhere. Did that make her odd?

No, probably not. She wasn't so unique as that.

"You're lying."

That threw her off. He had said it so abruptly and with such finality that she didn't have time to shed the astonished look on her face. He saw it, and he sighed. He stood up and took her with him, pulling on their linked hands until her cheek lay against his chest and he embraced her there, his chin on her hair. All the while she wore the same, astonished expression.

"Whoa, Sokka--,"

"I don't know why this is such a big deal to me," he said, "but I have this feeling that something is wrong with you, and it's _annoying_. And I also think that part of it is my fault, and that just makes me feel guilty."

"Hey, Sokka--,"

He held her tighter. "Your touch isn't so reassuring." A little part of her died inside at that, but she kept it hidden. That just meant she had more to learn, she supposed. "But, for the part that's my doing, I'm sorry."

When he spoke she could feel his words vibrate in his chest and onto her skin. She could hear his heartbeat and each breath he took to speak. She could smell the musk on his skin and the nature in his clothes. She could feel those foreign, hard muscles on his arms pressed into her shoulders. She didn't know what he was showing in his eyes and she didn't know if he his smile or frown looked real or fake. It was one of those horrifically rare times when she actually wished she could see.

"Sokka." He let her go and she took half a step back. She kept her face down. "I'm sorry about your eye."

There was a silence and then he let out a single, heartfelt 'hah'.

"Hm. Yeah, that's okay."


	11. Chapter 11

Katara noticed that, over the rest of their journey south, Sokka was oddly attentive to Toph and what she did.

Sometimes it was normal; he'd notice her as he had always noticed her, talking and laughing with her like they'd always done and then go on about his business. But then sometimes he'd seem a little overprotective or a little too attached to her side. When they stopped off in a rundown village he was normal the entire stay. But then, when they checked into an inn in the next town over, he'd barely let her out of his sight. Sometimes he'd hoard her attention and other times he'd be less clingy. At breakfast she'd catch him staring at her for minutes at a time. At dinner he'd be so absorbed in laughing with Aang he'd barely look at her.

Odd.

Maybe it was nothing. Maybe it was something. Maybe it was just her imagination, though it probably wasn't.

Because, at one point, she had gotten into the strangest argument with Sokka about Toph. They had been talking about the council meetings back in the Earth King's Palace, and apart from complaining about how the city hadn't changed since the end of the war, Katara had brought into light the effect the city life had on their friend.

"At least the right point of view gets a voice on their board," she said optimistically. They were in the gardens of the inn during late afternoon. Aang was visiting with the benefactor of the town while Toph had gone off on her own to explore. The brother and sister had stayed behind, Katara relaxing in the sun while Sokka went about sharpening and cleaning his boomerang.

"A lot of good that does, since the old geezers barely listen to her," he had replied.

"True." She was lying in the grass and flipped onto her stomach, staring at a snapdragon and blowing on it. "The biggest surprise for me was seeing her so dressed up, though." She smiled. "She's so pretty in her formal attire for all the events and whatnot. It suits her, to a certain degree." But Sokka had disagreed, not once looking up from his work.

"No, she doesn't belong at fancy parties and council meetings. It doesn't suit her at all. And those dresses are not for Toph. They make her look weird."

"What are you talking about?" Katara asked, surprised. "She looked beautiful at the ball in Ba Sing Se." Her brother only made a face and shrugged.

"Just because she's wearing a silk dress doesn't make her beautiful. She looked nice, at most."

That had been a strange answer to her. "You are such a pig, Sokka. Toph looked amazing at the ball."

He glanced at his sister through narrowed eyes, annoyed at her condescending tone and assumption to his ignorance. "Toph was wearing a shiny curtain for stuck-up people--,"

"She looked amazing--,"

"No, she didn't," he snapped, almost raising his voice. "Have you seen her after she's been training? Or even fighting? Have you seen the way she looks then?"

Katara shrugged, bringing up Toph in her memories of the war. She looked as all of them had looked: run down, tired, grimy and frazzled. "She looks…"

"She looks like she's _glowing._"

Katara blinked. Her brother wasn't looking at her anymore but was lost in thought with cleaning his boomerang, his eyes trained on polishing the edge meticulously as he spoke. "It's like…her eyes are shining, and her smile is nothing compared to those plastered grins she puts on for fat politicians. Toph on a battlefield is amazing. Toph in a ballroom is as un-amazing as you can get." Then he was silent.

Katara hadn't known where that had come from, and judging by his closed of countenance, he wasn't going to voluntarily explain his reasons. So she said, with sincerity, "you're right."

He paused in his cleaning, looked at her with distant eyes and grinned a detached grinned. "Good to hear you admit it once in a while."

"Yeah," she breathed. Then, "hey, Sokka, I wanted to ask you about--,"

"I'm back!"

The two siblings had turned then to see Aang walking towards them, out of his traditional garb and back into his comfortable robes. Momo glided off his shoulder and over to Sokka while the Avatar himself sat down in the grass next to Katara. She smiled at him, (because she was glad to see him, of course), but she knew her chance to speak with her brother was gone. He was often touchy about certain things, and she knew he'd be wary to say anything in front of Aang for fear of it simply being heard.

So she let it go.

For now.

--

It was easy for her, in some ways.

And in other ways it was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do…

…to hide how she felt and show that how things were was exactly what she wanted.

Easy, hard, easy, hard. There really wasn't a line between the two anymore.

It was strange though. When they'd hold hands or knock elbows or poke at one another it was easy. But when he'd sit next to her, his shoulder close enough that she could feel the heat from his skin yet far enough that they weren't touching, she found it hard. When he'd make jokes it was easy. When they'd have serious conversations it was hard. When he was ignoring her it was easy. When he was hovering over her it was easy. When he ignored her it was hard. When he hovered over her it was hard.

No line between the two whatsoever.

She wondered a million times how he couldn't see, and then thanked everything that he was so much more blind than she.

--

They got into a skirmish as they neared the rumored rebel camps.

In a swampland in the deep south they were attacked by a group of ruffians passing off as veteran deserters of the Fire Nation Army. This was ludicrous though, because the group was made up of only ten or eleven youths no older than Sokka. If anything they were action-starved sons of captains and generals who only wanted their taste of combat. But, despite all their lack of experience, they were young and able and that made the fight last longer than anticipated.

At the moment Katara was dealing with two of the rebels and Aang had four. Sokka was locked in one on one combat with a skilled naginata fighter, which left Toph with the rest.

Which was fine by her.

She stepped back, felt the pounding footsteps charge at her from behind, and then she pivoted, her flat palm thrusting outward accompanied by a wave of earth. The hit was true and there was a satisfying grunt of pain from the punk, but no time to listen, because she was thrusting downward, rising on a column of solid rock, out of range from the arrows coming from her left. A stomp and then a punch, take out the sniper, keep Katara and Sokka covered, Aang's far enough to be safe. Weapons flying, sounds swishing past her ears, cries of the enemy and her comrades. It might have been chaotic, but she was born for this. She knew how to decipher friend from foe and pick out the sounds that needed attention. Slice down, shove to the right, throw up a barrier to her back, split a ditch with her heel, a fist to this guy's chin because he was too close, a few boulders in Aang's direction so he wouldn't have to bother with switching into earthbending mode to pull out a sizable chunk, and then back to the ditch to close it up again. Left, left, left, right, right, left, back,…hit, throw, stop, wait, throw, slam and smash. A brutal dance, and her favorite kind.

"TOPH!"

The cry had come too late. Hot air blew forcibly at her from behind, catching her completely off guard. But the air wasn't just hot, it was scorching, and tangible. It burned. It cracked. It was fire. Someone was firebending and she hated firebending. Firebending caught her off guard the most.

With a cry she swung her arm around in a giant sweep, pulling out a massive portion of earth and hurling it in the direction of the fire. The sound of flames sputtering out and an anguished yell met the action. There was a thud. She hoped that whoever her attacker had been was dully surprised.

The earth beneath her feet shook, there was the sound of an explosion and then she was slapped in the face with a fantastic wave of air. When it finally passed it dumped her tousled hair in her face and left her coughing and gasping.

"Aang? Aang!" It was Katara. She was close by and Toph staggered over to her, cradling her stinging arm.

"What happened?" she asked dryly.

"I don't know. He moved out of my sight, so I don't know what he just did. The fighting's over though."

"I know." Toph grinned a toothy grin. "I totally won my match."

"Me too," came the coy reply. But then Katara noticed her arm. "Toph, you're burned!"

"I noticed," she drawled, unable to make it into a joke. She winced though as she tried to lift her arm. "Is it bad?" Gentle fingers touched her shoulder and carefully peeled away the tattered parts of her tunic.

"Not as bad as it could have been. It destroyed your clothes."

"They're just clothes." Even though this was her favorite tunic. "Do something, it's starting to sting."

"Okay, hold still."

Cold was instantly draped over the wound and Toph could feel the tingle of the water as it seeped into her skin, rejuvenating the tissue and sweeping away the dead cells, calling for new ones.

"Hey!" Sokka had come to join them, the sound of his blade sliding into its sheath. "Everything okay over here? Toph, did that fire blast hit you?"

"Yeah, but I'm fine." Katara finished with her work and the younger girl rolled her shoulder around, testing it out. Her muscles were a little tight in the area and her skin was a little itchy, but she was good as new again. "Thanks Katara."

"Of course. Did you see where Aang went?' Katara asked her brother. He jerked his head back.

"Down into the valley."

"I'm going to check on him. Don't move that arm too much, Toph. The new skin needs to have time to breathe," she called, running to check on the Avatar.

"Fine," she grumbled, lowering her shoulder. She turned in the direction of Sokka. "Did you win?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry about that firebender. I saw him sooner but that spear just wouldn't let up on me--,"

"It's okay," she said, dragging her sleeve across her drenched brow. "I'm fine. It was fine. I got him."

"I know. I saw. Your shoulder's really red."

"Still?" She reached up a tender hand to the area and realized almost the entire right side of her tunic, from her collar to her sleeve, had been singed away. Her new healed skin was just starting to feel the air and wind. "That's real nice," she grumbled, her fingers touching the charred edges of the fabric. Far be it for her to ever swoon over clothing, but this had been woven cotton and it had fit her perfectly.

"I'll buy you something new in the next town," Sokka offered. She shook her head morosely.

"Stupid kids. The war finally ends and what's the first thing they want to do? More fighting."

"You love fighting."

"Yeah, but that's me. I'm the exception," she crooned. "I'm special."

"Sure."

"So how did you get away from the spear guy? Did you take your sword and--…" she trailed off, her brow creasing, her expression darkening. Sokka frowned, waiting.

"And what?"

"Is that…?" But she didn't have time to finish her question, because it was. "Look out!" She launched herself at him, using her entire body to throw him aside and out of the way of the flying spear aimed for his back. He cried and tumbled to the ground, Toph crashing down beside him. There was a twang as the eighteen inch, curved blade of the spear embedded itself into the ground behind them, its wooden stem shivering on impact. Sokka stared at it in disbelief, adrenaline simmering in his veins.

"I thought I had knocked him out. Thanks Toph, that was close." But then he looked at her, saw her sprawled out next to him, and realized it had been too close. "Toph? Toph!"

"Ow," she said viciously, darkly, angrily. For all the blood that now soaked her shirt it was remarkable at how calm her voice was, and how much venom she was able to ingest in it. "That. Hurt."

"You're bleeding, you're bleeding!" In most cases a Sokka- induced panic would seem comedic and hysterical beyond comprehension. But fear sobered his mayhem, turning it into heart-wrenching concern. "Toph! Toph, where are you hurt?" She winced and tried pushing herself to her hands, involuntarily crying out at the movement. "Don't do that by yourself!" He scrambled behind her, taking her weight into his arms, letting her lean heavily against him.

"I think it's my side," she forced out, her breathing growing shallow and fast. She grimaced again, her hand squeezing his knees. "Damn it, the stupid thing grazed me in the side."

"Katara!" He turned over his shoulder, bellowing his sister's name. He didn't dare leave her side. "Katara! Get over here! Toph's hurt, badly!"

"Stop, stop it," she moaned. "You're rocking too much."

"Sorry, sorry." He reached around her tenderly, leaning over her shoulder to examine the wound. "I'm going to lift your shirt, okay? It might hurt…some of the frayed threads are in there…"

"Be careful."

"I will." He reached for the fabric and lifted. The wound was _bad_. "KATARA, GET OVER HERE!"

"Sokka, I'm getting dizzy," she said, the calm of her voice tainted by the feebleness of it. He hated the way she sounded.

"You're losing a lot of blood." He untangled his arms from her, tore off a piece of his own tunic and then wrapped it around his hand. "I'm going to have to press down to lessen the blood flow."

"Do it."

Carefully he wrapped one arm under hers and the other over her shoulder before placing both hands above the slash and then gently, but firmly, pressing into her side. She flinched and gripped on tighter to his knees.

"Sorry," he mumbled again, guilty that he had just added to her pain.

"Okay, I'm not going into shock," she grunted through clenched teeth, shaking her head and squeezing her eyes shut. "This hurts. This hurts so much right now. Katara!" Sokka glanced over his shoulder and saw his sister and Aang running towards them.

"She's coming. You're going to be okay."

"Good." A wave of pain hit her then and a strangled cry escaped her. "Ah…geez, and I thought the firebender was going to be trouble." She sucked in a deep breath through her nose and let it out slowly. Sokka kept a firm hold on her side, adamant in stemming the flow.

"She's coming, she's coming," he repeated. "You're going to be okay."

--

And she was okay.

It had taken half an hour of uninterrupted work on Katara's part, but right then and there she was able to stop the blood flow and mend over the seven-inch long gash in Toph's side. During that time Aang had been able to gather together the rebels and restrain them, leaving them tied to a tree.

"We can come back for them later," he said when he returned to the group. "Right now we need to get her somewhere safe where she can rest."

Toph had been too pale and disoriented to walk, so Sokka had carried her onto Appa's saddle and all of them had taken off for the nearest village.

"How is it now?" Katara asked, running her water over the wound once more. Toph sucked in a quick breath but then relaxed immediately after, relaxing her grip on Sokka's leg. She was still using him as a recliner, her back against his chest, his heartbeat in her shoulders.

"Better. Much better."

"Good," Aang said. He was standing atop Appa's head, bending the air around them into a tight sphere so that the gusts of wind wouldn't interfere with Katara's work. "Do you still have a headache?"

"A little," she admitted. "But that's probably just from the blood loss."

"It is," the older girl confirmed, returning her element to its pouch. "You'll probably pass out in a few seconds."

"I'll wake up though if I do, right?" Toph asked, half-jokingly.

"You'll wake up." It was Sokka who had replied with not an ounce of humor in his tone.

"All right. Just checking. Can I lie down?"

"No, don't move," Katara said, resting her hands gently on her shoulders to keep her still. "I don't want to risk moving you just yet; I want to wait until we absolutely have to, when we get to the village."

"I don't mind," Sokka reassured them seriously. He placed a calm hand on her forehead, letting her rest her head against his shoulder. "Go ahead and sleep, if you need to."

"Ugh, I feel pathetic," she groaned, leaning back. "Why, of all people, did I have to be the bird with the broken wing?"

"Because you're the only one tough enough to take it?" Aang offered with a lilt. Toph laughed lightly.

"Because you just wanted us to fawn all over you and whisk you away to a nice suite in a nice village?" Katara suggested with a grin. Toph laughed lightly.

"Because you were being a stupid hero," Sokka said, deadpan. Everyone was silent at that. No one could deny the guilt dripping from his words, and no one wanted to address it.

--

While she slept she had a dream.

And the dream quickly turned into a nightmare.

Someone was chasing her and she was running on ice, unable to see and frozen to the bone. She called out for help but no one came, and when stopped to meet whoever was following her, the ice broke and she fell through.

The imaginary shock of cold water pulled her out of slumber. She shot bolt upright, eyes flying open and her mouth wide in a scream. Her fingers gripped her soft blanket and her loose hair fell into her face.

"Toph! Toph, calm down! You're okay." Comforting hands reached out for her wrists and she instantly calmed down, her shoulders sagging with the weight as she turned to her companion. Katara's voice flowed over her and Toph was never so grateful to hear her so near.

"Where--?"

"We're at an inn," the waterbender explained, propping the pillows up so Toph could lean comfortably against the wall. "You slept the whole time. Sokka carried you in here and I've been tending to your side. You've been out for hours."

"What time is it?"

"Almost midnight. Hungry?"

"Yes."

Katara reached over and placed a bowl in her hands. Toph raised the rim to her lips and drank in earnest. It was only warm broth and vegetables, but it was bliss to a growling stomach and a healing body.

When she finally lowered the bowl it was less than half empty and she was feeling more than halfway revived. She sighed and touched her side. It was healed save for a thin, bumpy line where the flesh was still mending together.

"Where's Aang?" she asked.

"He took two of the village prefect officers back to where the rebels were. He didn't want to leave them tied to a tree overnight."

Toph wrinkled her nose disapprovingly. "They deserved it." Katara laughed.

"I completely agree with you."

"But he's way too nice for his own good."

"I completely agree with that too."

"Where's Sokka?"

A short silence followed this question before a low, grumbled reply came to her from the far corner of the room. "Right here."

Toph jumped, genuinely surprised. Her feet weren't anywhere on the floor, so she hadn't been able to see him, but she hadn't heard him or sensed him either, which only gave a credit to the depth of her sleeping and her drained ability to gather herself after waking up.

"Sheesh, you scared me," she said truthfully, clutching at her chest. "What are you doing skulking in the corner?"

"What do you think?" was the bland reply, borderline agitated. "I feel bad about what happened." She was surprised to hear her own bluntness coming from him.

"Well, you shouldn't," she snapped back. He grunted, sounding more like Appa than a person.

"No, I should. That spear got you instead of me."

"It shouldn't have gotten either of us, actually," she answered, "but it was a curved blade, so its flight path was weird. It's not your fault or my fault that it was a curved blade."

She heard his feet hit the floor and his chair squeak as he leaned forward. She hadn't known he'd been curled up in a ball, waiting for her to wake up.

"I was the one fighting that guy. I should have taken care of him so that he wouldn't have had a chance to strike again."

"Well…." She shrugged. "It's a mistake. We all make mistakes."

"This was a dangerous mistake."

"It's fine. Katara was around so it's fine."

"Katara won't always be around."

"Sokka, calm down," his sister said, getting up from her seat and taking a step towards her brother. He ignored her.

"You shouldn't have done it," he blurted. "You shouldn't have done something so brash." Toph's eyebrows shot up and her jaw clenched in a challenge.

"Whoa, wait a minute, brash? Is that you blaming me now?"

"Y-yes." He had hesitated, and that meant he was just fighting to fight. But she wasn't in the mood, and so she took it to offense.

"All right, calling me a stupid hero before was a little funny. Calling me a stupid hero now is making you a jerk--,"

"You purposely put yourself in danger for a stupid reason, Toph," he flared, getting to his own feet. "You didn't have to do anything, you could have just called it out to me."

"Stop it, Sokka," Katara commanded. He ignored her still, but judging by her tone it was only a matter of moments before she'd make him listen.

"It was too late," Toph yelled back, although she wasn't so much angry as she was surprised that they were even having this argument. "You would have had about half a second to move, and the blade was _curved_, Sokka. You would have gotten a bigger cut than mine."

"I would have been able to handle it," he spat back. "Katara's around, remember?"

"Oh, right," Toph huffed. "The big warrior man would have taken it better than the feeble little girl, right?"

"What? No--,"

"Talk about chauvinistic."

"Stop it, you know that's not what I mean--,"

"Because that's what I sounds like to me."

"Toph, don't get up. Just don't listen to anything he has to say," the waterbender insisted. Sokka strode across the room and ducked around his sister, hovering at the foot of the bed.

"You don't have to protect me!" he cried. Toph pushed back against her pillows and slammed her bowl down on the bedside table, making sure every movement she took expressed undiluted anger despite the dull ache in her side.

"Well don't worry, I fully regret it now, so it won't happen in the future!" she yelled back.

"Good!"

"Wonderful!"

"Fantastic!"

"You're an insane person."

"You're…you're….!"

"SOKKA!"

He couldn't ignore that. The two bickering friends went silent and Katara grabbed her brother and shoved him towards the door, yanking it open with too much force. "Go and wait for me outside," she said, shoving him out into the hall. Before he could turn and protest she slammed the door in his face. She stood there for a moment, not moving.

A hollow pause filled the room. And then Katara said, "You know why that happened, don't you?"

Toph nodded, rolling her bright eyes, immediately calming down. "Yeah, I do."

Katara blew out a breath. "He's stupid…I'm sorry. I'm going to talk to him. You need to stay in bed and rest."

She wasn't going to argue with an angered Katara. "All right. I will."

And she did.

--

Katara strode out into the courtyard where she found Sokka hastily pacing back and forth, his hands clenched into stiff fists at his sides. He looked up when she approached him and instantly backed away from her.

"Don't yell at me again."

"Too late; what in the world were you thinking?!" she demanded, looming towards him and waggling her finger of authority. The normal Katara would have probably kept her voice low at such a late hour, but this angered and bewildered Katara threw normal manners and courtesy out the window. "If you cared anything—_anything_—about her and her well-being then you would have never even thought to divulge your bad feelings on her when she's still trying to heal!"

"Stop it, Katara. Don't throw your motherly logic at me this time, because I'm not going to deal with it," he said, shaking his head. "You don't have to talk this out with me. You can go back inside and I promise to stay out here and cool off like a good boy."

"Excuse me, what?" He had turned away from her and she reached out, yanking him back around by the shoulder. He let her because he had always let her, but he didn't hide the clench in his jaw or the venom in his stare.

"Katara…"

"No," she said firmly. "You do not get to act like this because you are a fool, Sokka. A fool. What you just pulled was idiotic, and we both know you are not an idiot."

"Katara, just leave me alone."

"I know why you did it."

He closed his mouth then and simply stared at her. She breathed in deeply through her nose and blinked.

"You do?" he asked quietly.

"We both do."

"Really." He didn't sound convinced.

"We know you feel guilty about not taking care of your fighter. But you fought with Toph because when you saw the firebender ready to attack her all you could do was call out her name, and when she heard the spear she was able to act upon it and save you. You feel guilty in more ways than one. We both know that." The paling of his face and the tightening of his straining hands said what he refused to say.

_Yes, that's the truth. I failed in my chance to protect her and she succeeded in her chance to protect me. I feel pathetic and I caused her pain. I am horrible._

But he didn't say it out loud. Instead he turned on his heel and strode away, out of the courtyard through the arched gate.

"Sokka? Where are you going?" his sister demanded. But he only waved a dismissive hand over his head and then broke into a run so she wouldn't follow him.


End file.
